Fight Club
by buckminsterbarnes
Summary: In the aftermath of a devastating battle with the Klingon army, Captain Kirk has to do everything he can to keep everything together. Unfortunately, there's no break for the famous captain of the USS Enterprise. He soon finds himself trapped on a strange new world where he has to fight to keep himself, and his best friends, alive. The number one rule? Don't talk about Fight Club...
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

" _I'm going to make it very simple for you, Captain. Your crew for my crew."_

Kirk's fist slammed into the leather punching bag.

" _My crew is my family. Is there anything that you wouldn't do for your family?"_

Khan's words resonated in Kirk's mind as he felt the sand shift from the force of his fist. His breathing was shaky and quick as he repeatedly pummeled the hanging bag, throwing himself into each blow.

"Jim?" McCoy called warily from the doorway of the rec room. He took a cautionary step forward into the dimly lit room and Kirk stopped the punching bag from swinging. "You alright?"

"Yeah." Kirk replied, then turned and smirked at McCoy. "Just working out a little."

"Working out your anger, or your muscles?" McCoy said dryly and Kirk chuckled.

"Maybe a little of both," He started tenderly unwrapping his hands.

"You know, you can't just punch your way out of everything." McCoy folded his arms across his chest.

"Hasn't failed me yet," Kirk shrugged and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "What can I do for you, Bones?"

"I just wanted to check on you is all." McCoy said, but Kirk detected that he was hiding something.

"Spock sent you." Kirk rolled his eyes and took a swig of water from his bottle.

"The half-breed seems worried about you," McCoy eased the edge from his voice. He hadn't seen much of Kirk lately. Not since the last mission went wrong a week before. They had been swarmed by Klingon vessels that demanded they hand over the _Enterprise._ Naturally, Kirk had refused, but he wasn't expecting the backlash of force that the Klingons had offered. It was nothing like any of them had ever seen. Armed with blasters and weapons of all kinds, the Klingons beamed aboard the _Enterprise_ and began to take out the crew members. Somehow, they had procured the technology that was only available in transporters before and created belts, allowing them to disappear every time it seemed that the crew had them cornered. They finally managed to scramble the signals of the portable transporters and flush out the Klingons, but the losses were devastating. Over a hundred crewman had been lost and some two hundred more wounded.

"Well, he shouldn't be." Kirk said, trying to keep his care-free attitude.

"I'm not convinced." McCoy said gruffly, standing up a little straighter. "I haven't even seen you since the whole Klingon debacle."

"We've both been knee-deep in work." Kirk grumbled and started towards the door. McCoy took a step back and firmly blocked the exit.

"That's no excuse, Jim. You didn't even let me give you a proper examination." McCoy looked Kirk dead in the eyes.

"There's other people to take care of that actually _need_ it. Besides, like I said before, _I'm fine._ " Kirk took a step forward and McCoy held up his hands as a barricade.  
"The h*ll you are, Jim! Look at yourself! You've got bags under your eyes darker than that soul-sucking void outside! When's the last time you slept?" McCoy yelled and Kirk looked down dejectedly. "You're probably beaten and bruised beyond belief, and you won't even let me help you!"

"Bones, I—"

"No, don't you 'Bones' me! I'm taking you back to Sickbay with me, and you can't say anything to convince me otherwise!" McCoy grabbed his arm and started dragging him into the hall.

" _Bridge to Captain Kirk!"_ The comm chimed. McCoy snapped his head in the direction of the speaker.

"Don't even think about answering that." He said sternly, narrowing his eyes at Kirk. Kirk nodded slightly, then ripped his arm from McCoy's grip and threw himself at the comm and answered it.

"Kirk here!" Kirk replied as McCoy chased him down.

" _Captain, the transport is ready for you."_ Uhura said and McCoy stared at his Captain in disbelief.

"Thank you Uhura, I'll be right there." Kirk called as McCoy slammed on the comm to hang up.

"What does she mean by a transport?" McCoy snarled.

"I'm meeting with Starfleet Command at the nearest outpost to talk to them about the Klingons." Kirk said quietly under McCoy's scrutinizing glare.

"I'm not letting you go until I have given you a full examination." McCoy stepped in front of the entrance again.

"Bones, I don't have much of a choice." Kirk shrugged and McCoy's glare softened slightly. "If I don't go, I could lose the ship."

"What do you mean?" McCoy attempted to maintain his angry demeanor.

"Will losses this staggering, I have to give Starfleet the whole rundown, and then they get to decide whether or not I could've done something to prevent this." Kirk tried to hide the fear in his voice.

"Jim, there's nothing that you could've—"

"Negotiation. I could've tried harder, Bones. I could've." Kirk mumbled and fidgeted with his hands nervously, tenderly avoiding the various bruises they were riddled with.

"They're Klingons, Jim! They don't negotiate! That's kind of their thing!" McCoy protested, throwing out his hands.

"Well, that's up for the Admirals to decide." Kirk sighed and stepped towards the door.

"Let me come with you." McCoy pleaded and Kirk was taken aback.

"Bones, I can't—"

"As your Chief Medical Officer, and attending physician, I am demanding that I accompany my Captain, who is at risk for multiple health complications, might I add." McCoy said sternly. "I'll examine you now, or come with you. Your pick." Kirk sighed heavily as he thought.

"Fine. But you don't get to do anything that'll stop me from going to this meeting." Kirk said and McCoy smiled victoriously.


	2. Chapter 2

"All systems are ready, Captain." Spock called from the cockpit of the small ship.

"Thanks, Spock. Let's get going." Kirk huffed and sat strapped down in the chair beside Spock.

"Captain, are you positive that it is necessary that Doctor McCoy accompany us on this trip?" Spock asked, looking back at McCoy who just rolled his eyes.

"You're the one that sent him after my scent." Kirk grumbled and started up the engines.

"It was not my intention to—"

"Yeah, yeah. I know. Let's just get a move on." Kirk sighed and Spock nodded. They blasted off from the main hangar bay of the ship and into the dark abyss of space.

"Remind me again why we couldn't just take the _Enterprise_." McCoy asked, trying to hold back his lunch.

"The _Enterprise_ is due for repairs at a nearby system. As it would prove to be cumbersome to pick us up, should the meetings end early. It was only logical that we should take a vessel of our own." Spock answered matter-of-factly.

"I hate logic." McCoy mumbled to himself.

"How long till we get there?" Kirk asked, checking his instruments carefully.

"Just over 6 hours, Captain." Spock replied and McCoy sighed loudly.

"Why don't you just take a nap, Bones?" Kirk laughed slightly.

"Fat chance of that," McCoy grumbled. "I want to be awake and complaining when I die."

"Doctor, the odds of perishing in this vessel are—"

"Save it, you green-blooded goon." McCoy snapped.

/

"Are we there yet?" McCoy pried.

"For the six-millionth time, _no_." Jim huffed.

"We are still two-point-oh-eight hours away." Spock said coolly and McCoy groaned.

"Remind me never to go on a road-trip with you, Bones." Jim sighed.

"You know what? Road-trips are fine. Roads are meant for cars. It's okay. This is _space._ Space is meant for stars, not people!"

"Bones, you've spent the past _four years_ in space." Jim retorted.

"Captain!" Spock called and the entire ship shook violently. McCoy gripped the straps around his chest so tightly that his knuckles went white.

"What the hell was that?!" McCoy yelled as Spock tried to steady the ship.

"Unclear. It seems to me as though—" Spock was interrupted by another blast to the hull of the ship. Kirk's fingers flew across the buttons and keys.

"Jim! What's happening?!" McCoy pried, fear in his voice.

"Don't worry, Leonard," Kirk cooed, trying not to panic himself. "We're going to be alright." He finished as he pulled up an image on the screen.

His blood ran cold. This wasn't an ordinary vessel.

"Spock?" Kirk demanded as his First Officer's eyes were fixated on the image.

"Captain, I have no idea." Spock replied and the two men shared a worried glance.

This was bad.


	3. Chapter 3

"Try and keep us steady," Kirk commanded and Spock offered a nod of understanding. "Leonard, you try to keep calm." He looked back at his friend who was ghostly pale and holding onto his restraints for dear life.

"Calm?!" McCoy snapped and Kirk turned back around.

"I said _try_ ," He sighed, pulling at his controls as the ship shook violently again. "We've got to get out of here, even if we get off-course." Kirk stated, trying the comm for the _Enterprise._ "Radio silence from the _Enterprise_." He cursed under his breath as he fidgeted with the controls some more

Suddenly, the ship lurched to the right and Spock's head smashed into the console.

"Spock!" Kirk cried out, trying in vain to steady the ship. "Bones, we're stuck in some sort of tractor beam!" Kirk jerked at the controls but the ship didn't budge an inch.

"Well _get us out of it_!" McCoy barked and Kirk pulled at the controls some more.

"Wow, thanks! Wouldn't have thought of that myself!" He yelled back sarcastically. The viewing screen went dark and all of the lights inside of the ship fizzled out.

"Jim?" McCoy cried frantically.

"Still here!" Kirk replied and the ship screeched to a stop. He tugged at the restraints, trying to pry them off his shoulders. He heard a loud thud behind him and he froze. "Bones?" He asked quietly, but got no response. "Bones, can you hear me?" He asked again, panic rising in his stomach.

"I don't think he can." Something hissed inside his ear and he jumped against the restraints. Something cut him free and he scrambled to the floor in the paralyzing darkness.

"Who are you?" Every fiber of Kirk's being was on edge, ready to attack as soon as something came into range. He stood on his toes, coiled in a defensive position, his finger hovering the trigger of his phaser.

"All in good time, Captain. All in good time." The voice in the dark replied. The words echoed eerily off the sides of the small ship that was now submerged in darkness and silence.

"Well, _make_ time to tell me what's going on." Kirk hissed, trying to track his attacker by the sound of their voice. _Male. Not human._ He thought to himself, his mind racing. _If I want to track him down, I have to keep him talking._

"I don't think that I will." The voice responded very close to Kirk's left side and he frantically swung the phaser in that direction. He pulled the trigger and the ship was illuminated with a bright red light for a brief second before descending back under the dark veil that shrouded it before. The phaser blast was absorbed into the hull of the ship and Kirk prayed that he hadn't hit anything vital. As the light faded quickly, he caught a glimpse of his assailant, though he wished he hadn't. Burned into his eyes was the vision of a ghastly white being, twice his size, soulless black eyes staring back at him.

The alien hissed at the bright flash of light as Kirk stumbled backwards. He reached out behind him, feeling through the dark trying to find the console to reboot the systems in the ship. As his hand brushed up against the buttons, a gooey tentacle wrapped around his wrist. He recoiled at the feeling of the ooze, but the tentacle latched on tightly to the skin of his wrist. It pulled him away from the console and he struggled to find a handhold as it pulled him further and further. He grabbed onto his chair tightly with his free hand, but was yanked away by the tentacle. The tentacle wrapped itself around his arm and a cold shiver ran up his spine as a puddle of goo rose up from his feet and enveloped his body up to his neck. It squirmed like an animal, keeping him tucked inside of a cocoon of slime as he struggled to break free.

"What's going on?!" Kirk demanded, straining his muscles in effort to escape.

"You are a needy one, aren't you?" He heard the bone-chilling voice say again as the creature of goo moved him forward. He attempted to open his mouth in with a witty remark, but was silenced by a slimy tentacle reaching up and across his face, nearly smothering him. He felt bile rise up his throat as the creature felt around his face and decided to cover up his mouth with its terrible tentacle.

As he held back his lunch, the creature lurched forward. Kirk could only assume that they had left the ship and had made their way into some other ship, but it was much too dark for him to see anything that was going on. The ominous voice spoke softly in a foreign language and the goo-monster's tentacle wrapped itself around Kirk's eyes. He swung his head violently, trying to shake off the creature, but he had no such luck.

The creature slowly oozed off of Kirk's eyes and he was nearly blinded by the light that flooded in them. The creature slowly relaxed its hold on Kirk's mouth and he spit in rage.

"What gives?" He asked, blinking wildly, trying to save his burning retinas.

"Sorry, Captain. I had hoped that your transition back into the light would've been more pleasant." The eerie voice sighed and Kirk snapped his head toward the direction it was coming from. He finally got a good look at the alien. He was horrified. He had seen many strange creatures in his days of exploration, but he had never seen something so vile in his life. The pale monster had two soulless black eyes on the sides of its head, two large horns protruding from its forehead that were twisted and mangled. It was twice Kirk's size, it's wide shoulders in sharp contrast to its relatively thin frame. He could see the crooked six legs scurrying underneath its body, trying to keep pace with the goo monster encasing Kirk.

"What?" The alien asked, its mouth spanning the length of its thin, white face twisting into a grin. "You don't like what you see?"

Kirk sneered and struggled to pull his arms free of the goo monster once again. He could see clearly now the black, gooey strings curling and twisting around him, keeping him locked up tight.

"Seriously, though, what gives?" Kirk asked again, flopping like a fish trying to wriggle free.

"It is better if you don't struggle, Captain." The creature to his left said, staring at him with lifeless eyes. "Charybdis here doesn't appreciate having to work hard." The monster oozed in response. Kirk felt a shudder run down his spine.

Kirk looked around desperately for a way to escape. His first assumption had been correct-he was on some sort of ship. _Not just any ship,_ He realized. _This has to be a smuggler's ship._ He could tell by the panels all around the inside of the ship and the cages riddling the walls surrounding him. There were creatures of all shapes and sizes pacing around their prisons, snapping their teeth or screeching at him. There were some creatures that he didn't even recognize.

"Perhaps you will be more comfortable here." The ghastly monster beside him motioned to an empty cell and the goo monster promptly forced Kirk from its grasp and threw him unceremoniously into the clear-walled cage. Kirk sprang into action, throwing himself at the beast, only to be stopped by a grabbing tentacle twisting itself around his chest. He attempted to use his momentum to thrust himself forward, but the creature merely tightened its grip and squeezed the life from his lungs. He could feel his ribs twisting and threatening to break inside of his chest.

"Now, now, Captain. You needn't escape." The beast smirked and Kirk watched as the goo monster morphed its shape and threw out two more bodies from its form. Kirk watched with wide eyes as Spock and McCoy appeared from the gooey mess. "I do recommend that you cooperate, otherwise your companions will be, well, what's the best way to put this?" The creature paused and mused at his own question. "Ah, yes. Disposed of viciously, tortured, beaten down to death, take your pick." The creature smirked and the goo monster released Kirk once again. The glass door of the cell slid shut and Kirk gasped for breath, feeling the sweet relief of oxygen pouring back into his lungs. He lay, crumpled on the floor, moaning as he tried to move. He could already feel the bruises blossoming on his chest.

"Bones? Spock?" Kirk asked, inching his way towards them. He reached McCoy first, whose chest was rising and falling rhythmically. Kirk sighed in relief and attempted to shake his friend back into consciousness. "Bones?" He hissed, shaking his friends shoulder, but got no response. Kirk cursed under his breath and crawled towards Spock. He could see the green blood caking on the Vulcan's forehead. "Spock," Kirk cooed, painfully sitting himself up to try and wake up his First Officer. "Spock, you've gotta wake up," Kirk continually shook his shoulder, but had no luck rousing the Vulcan.

He sighed heavily and eased himself back to the ground. _How am I going to get us out of this one?_ He wondered, staring at the countless creatures stalking him from their cells. His eyes wandered to McCoy's belt, scanning for a communicator. His eyes caught on the tricorder that McCoy always had tucked away and he sighed in relief. It was no communicator, but he could at least try to help his companions. He pulled the tricorder from McCoy's belt and switched it on. It began to beep and the screen flashed to life. He slowly ran it over McCoy and saw traces of some alien drug in his system. Luckily for him, it was a drug known to the Federation and did nothing but induce a deep sleep for a maximum of two hours.

Spock was next. Kirk watched carefully as he ran the scanner over Spock's head and the tricorder blinked with concern. A moderately severe concussion. Spock could be out cold for a while. He cursed under his breath and reluctantly turned the scanner on himself. The tricoder screen exploded to life with everything from elevated bio signs, to hairline fractures in his ribs, to the bruises and cuts on his hands left over from his battle with the Klingons. _Bones is_ not _going to be happy with me._ Kirk sighed.


	4. Chapter 4

"Finally," McCoy heard Kirk say distantly. His eyes snapped open and he sat up straight.

"Jim, what the hell?" McCoy looked around frantically and spotted Kirk sitting against the wall of their glass enclosure. Confusion flood his mind as he saw all of the cages surrounding him.

"We've been hijacked. By smugglers." Kirk sighed and watched as McCoy took in his surroundings.

"What in the- where are they taking us?" McCoy asked, still scanning the ship.

"They forgot to mention it to me," Kirk said sarcastically and shifted slightly, feeling small pangs of pain shooting through his chest. He had hoped the McCoy didn't notice, but the Good Doctor's head snapped in his direction immediately.

"Jim," McCoy grumbled and reached down for his tricorder instinctively.

"I'm fine, Bones." Kirk chuckled and held up the tricorder triumphantly. "But Spock's not." He cast a glance over to the Vulcan, whose chest was rising and falling peacefully.

"Let me see that," McCoy snatched the tricorder from Kirk's hand and fidgeted with the controls angrily. He slowly ran the tricorder down Spock's still form. "It's hopefully nothing serious, but he could have some minor memory loss and he could be out of it for a few days." He read the tricorder results carefully, watching for any blaring data.

"Good," Kirk replied and started looking around at the other enclosures again.

"If anyone's not fine, it's you." McCoy grumbled, reading off the scanner's results on Kirk. "Hairline fractures, Jim? Really?" He asked and Kirk avoided his glare.

"It happens," Kirk shrugged and began to carefully lift himself off the floor. The jostling to his ribs made them throb, but that didn't stop him. McCoy scrambled to his feet to assist his Captain, taking his shoulders and pulling him up carefully. "Knock it off, Bones. I'm fine." Kirk rolled his eyes as he stood up as straight as he could.

"Like hell you are," McCoy grumbled, and Kirk patted him playfully on the shoulder. "You really should be getting some rest."

"And risk the smugglers coming back? I don't think so." Kirk sighed and pressed his hand against the glass enclosure door.

"So, what's the plan?" McCoy asked, standing behind Kirk, just waiting for him to collapse.

"I'll let you know when I figure something out." Kirk scanned the other cages. Much to his surprise, the creatures inside of them didn't appear to be trying to force their way out. Kirk figured that this meant they had tried enough times and failed. He cursed under his breath and slammed a fist against the glass. It didn't even buckle under the force of his blow.

"Jim, you're an idiot." McCoy snatched Kirk's hand and looked it over. "You've already got more bruises than a banana that's been thrown down the stairs and then stomped on, and you think that _punching_ something will make it better?"

"God, relax." Kirk pulled his hand away and rubbed it gingerly. "You treat Joanna like this?"

"Joanna's not an incredibly accident-prone Starfleet Captain with a death wish!" McCoy threw out his hands in protest.

"Maybe one day," Kirk smirked at his friend.

"God, I hope not." McCoy rolled his eyes and knelled down next to Spock. "You know, I like this green-blooded hobgoblin more when he's unconscious." McCoy laughed nervously, taking Spock's pulse.

"Captain Kirk, I really expected more from you." The captor hissed from in front of the glass enclosure wall. Kirk jumped back in surprise and instinctively stepped in front of McCoy, shielding him. "Trying to punch through the glass?" The creature clicked its tongue in disappointment. "Pitiful."

"Well, I'm not sure if you've noticed or not, but I'm not a fish that belongs in a glass bowl." Kirk snapped and the creature looked surprised.

"Such attitude!" The creature exclaimed. "Maybe you haven't learned your lesson about disobedience from Charybdis yet?" Kirk felt the throbbing in his chest with the mention of the goo monster.

"Maybe you haven't learned that our lives aren't something that you can mess with." McCoy said sharply from behind Kirk. The creature's eyes widened in surprise and a slight grin crossed its face.

"Perhaps you should both be taught a lesson." The creature snapped its elongated fingers and the goo monster Charybdis formed outside of the cage beside the demonic creature. Kirk took a half step back, spreading his arms to shield McCoy further. The creature swung the door open and the long, black tentacles of Charybdis reached out at lightning speed, wrenching Kirk from in front of McCoy. The creature wrapped its tentacles around his chest again, and he watched in horror as it did the same to McCoy. The tentacles moved through the cage and wrapped themselves around Spock's lifeless body and Kirk tried to pry himself free of its grasp.

"Now, now. We've talked about this." The creature hissed and Charybdis began to choke the life from Kirk's body again. He gasped as he felt the weight crushing his chest, but he kept his eyes glued to Spock, who was being carried out of the enclosure.

"Jim!" McCoy cried, struggling to break free.

"Bones, don't!" Kirk managed between gasps and McCoy hesitantly obeyed. The goo monster held Spock up to the creature, who produced a long syringe filled with a vile blue liquid.

"This should teach you." The creature thrust the needle into Spock's neck and ejected the thick blue liquid into his bloodstream. The goo monster released Spock back into the enclosure and threw McCoy and Kirk to the ground. The wall of the enclosure slammed shut as Kirk gasped for air.

"Jim!" McCoy scrambled over to his friend and knelt down beside him. Kirk swayed shakily on his hands and knees, trying desperately to stand up. "Jim, just stay down." McCoy pleaded and placed a gentle hand on Kirk's back.

"Spock," Kirk wheezed and McCoy begrudgingly rushed to the Vulcan's side. He waved the tricorder over his still form and a chill ran down his spine. "Talk to me, Bones." Kirk was up on his feet, bracing himself against the glass wall. "Bones!" Kirk said impatiently, watching McCoy stare at the scanner in disbelief.

"Jim, he's going to die. I can't help him." McCoy said breathlessly.

"What do you mean, you can't help him?" Kirk asked, stumbling over to the Doctor.

"The poison they've injected him with. If I don't have the antidote, I can't cure him. He's going to die slowly without a proper medical facility." McCoy cursed inwardly.

"How long so we have?" Kirk gulped.

"Not long. Two weeks at best." McCoy sighed heavily and sat down next to where Spock lay.

"We're in it for the long haul." Kirk realized and shut his eyes tightly. "If they're going to let us watch him die over two weeks, they're taking us somewhere pretty far. Beyond the reaches of the Federation, I bet." Kirk sat slowly down next to McCoy. McCoy watched the younger man carefully, scanning his face for any signs of pain.

"What do we do?" McCoy asked quietly, watching Spock's chest rise and fall shakily.

"What can we do for Spock?" Kirk asked.

"I can manage his symptoms, but that's it." McCoy shrugged.

"Well, the chances are that these idiots aren't going to keep us. They're going to sell us off to God knows who," Kirk rubbed his head. "Maybe they'll let us save Spock?" Kirk tried to remain optimistic, but the doubt crept slowly into his mind. He knew that the best-case scenario here was that the Enterprise would find them and come to their rescue. He also knew that they wouldn't even know that they were missing until Kirk didn't show up to his meeting with the Admirals in two days' time. By then it would be too late and they would be long gone, far past the Federation's reach. Without their communicators, there would be no way to locate them either.

McCoy kept his head down. He knew that Kirk would figure something out, but he also saw that things were getting to be pretty grim.

"I'll do my best here," McCoy looked at his friend, his eyes filled with concern. "Jim, maybe you should get some sleep." He pleaded and Kirk shook his head.

"Don't have time for that," Kirk laughed quietly and stood up slowly. McCoy watched him carefully, ready to catch him if he fell. "I've got a plan to figure out."


	5. Chapter 5

Kirk slept restlessly in the corner of the enclosure. McCoy figured that he must've drifted off when the gears in his head started turning too quickly for his sleep-deprived self to keep up with. McCoy sighed. Kirk never knew when to take a break, and he figured that he never would. Being a babysitter for the most respected Starfleet Captain was a full-time job in itself. He blamed himself whenever something went wrong, and something _always_ seemed to go wrong. McCoy always cursed himself when he got so caught up in his work that he didn't have time for Kirk, but that's the way life goes, he figured.

McCoy watched his best friend as he slept, tossing and turning every couple of seconds. He had never seen the kid sleep soundly in his life. He figured that he never had. Kirk was the kind of guy to let himself get wrapped up in everything and forget all about himself, and McCoy thought that was true even when he was sleeping. _There's no rest for the weary_ , McCoy thought to himself and sighed. He pulled the tricorder from his belt and made his way over soundlessly to Kirk. He still needed to get the full read-out on Kirk, and he figured that he would have no better opportunity. He waved the tricorder over the restless man, trying to silence the beeps that it emitted. The results pinged back and McCoy let out a frustrated sigh as he read them. Broken ribs. Bruising on the chest. Tendon damage in his hands. _This man is a mess._ He thought and tucked the tricorder away again. He cursed inwardly as he thought about how little he could do for both Kirk and Spock. He was a doctor without tools, which he thought made him just about useless. The only thing that he could do is get Jim Kirk to rest and heal. Nothing more, nothing less.

Spock stirred slightly from across the enclosure. McCoy jumped up and raced to his side, trying not to disturb the sleeping Captain.

"Bones?" Kirk asked, his voice still scratchy from the slumber.

"Go back to sleep, kid." McCoy muttered under his breath, kicking himself for waking Kirk.

"Is Spock waking up?" Kirk asked, shifting to get up.

"No Jim, you're dreaming. Go back to sleep." McCoy lied and Kirk frowned at him. Kirk scanned Spock for himself and saw no signs of movement.

"Tell me when he wakes up," Kirk said, satisfied. His eyes slowly drooped closed, despite his obvious protest.

"Will do." McCoy whispered as he watched Kirk's eyes shut.

"I apologize for waking the Captain," Spock moaned, his eyes fluttering open. "It is obvious that he requires adequate rest."

"Don't worry about it, Spock." McCoy said gruffly, pulling out his tricorder once again.

"Doctor McCoy, where are we?" Spock began to sit up, but McCoy laid a stern hand on his chest without looking up from his tricorder.

"It's kind of a long story." McCoy sighed and waved the tricorder over Spock. The poison concentration still coursing through his veins was way too high for his liking. In fact, the concentration was so high that Spock shouldn't have even been awake.

"Please inform me of our circumstances." Spock said politely, watching McCoy's expression as he read the tricorder results.

"Spock, what's the last thing you remember?" McCoy set the tricorder down beside him gently. Spock's eyebrows creased together as the Vulcan tried to recall what he knew.

"We… we were aboard the transport to meet Starfleet Command," Spock pinched his eyebrows together more in concentration. "We were attacked by something. I do not recall by whom or for what reason." Spock finished and looked up at McCoy curiously.

"Figures," McCoy's face twisted into a grimace that he usually wore when talking to the Vulcan. "You hit your head pretty bad. You were unconscious for a while, there." Spock instinctively reached for his forehead, but McCoy swatted his hand away. "Now, did I say that you could _touch_ it?" McCoy crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Tell me how you feel. Any significant sources of pain?"

"Will you then inform me of the circumstances of our situation?"

"I'll _consider_ it." McCoy replied gruffly.

"My head does bring about discomfort. I would suspect that I am suffering from a concussion." Spock rubbed the side of his head as he spoke.

"And? Anything else?" McCoy asked, holding his breath. If Spock didn't feel the effects of the poison in his system, that could mean that the symptoms wouldn't appear for a while.

"My stomach… doesn't feel normal." Spock admitted.

" _Wonderful_." McCoy huffed sarcastically.

"Please elaborate." Spock said patiently.

"You've been poisoned, Spock." McCoy hesitantly responded. "That's the first symptom."

"What poison?" Spock asked, his blood running cold. He kept a stoic face to hide his fear.

"Alpha degenerate twenty-nine." McCoy sighed heavily.

"I am unfamiliar with that particular poison." Spock said after a brief moment of thought.

"That's because the Federation doesn't teach about it in Starfleet Academy," McCoy said. "The only reason _I_ know what it is is because I treated a case once, before I enrolled. It's a nasty poison, derived from the fruits of the Edervith tree out on some obscure planet that the Federation can't reach." McCoy watched carefully as Spock sat up slightly. "It's common among smugglers like these. Virtually untreatable unless you're in a very advanced medical facility."

"What are the symptoms?" Spock swallowed, unsure if he really wanted to know.

"First comes stomach ache and nausea," McCoy sighed. "Then comes the inability to hold down any sort of food or fluid. Then the rash that covers your entire body. Then your bones become brittle and you lose muscle function. After paralysis sets in, you don't make it through the night." McCoy finished. He felt no need to sugar-coat anything to Spock. He figured that the Vulcan could take it. After looking at Spock's face, however, he decided that he probably should've held back at least a little bit.

"I am assuming that this quickly terminates the human victims," Spock swallowed hard.

"Within two weeks." McCoy said, his face twisting into a frown.

"Is it possible that my Vulcan anatomy will prevent such an outcome?"

"Besides slowing things down a little, I don't think that much is going to change," McCoy admitted.

"That is unfortunate," Spock sighed slightly and sat up completely straight, under McCoy's scrutinizing gaze. "Have you yet informed the Captain of my condition?"

"Jim? No," McCoy looked back at the slumbering Captain. "He just knows that you're not going to make it unless we can get you out of here. I don't want him to know the details, especially since I know that your Vulcan a** can make it look like you're in no pain. No need for him to sweat the little things."

"I concur." Spock said, after a brief pause. "The Captain undoubtedly has a sufficient amount of problems on his mind." Both men sat for a second and watched Kirk as he tossed and turned restlessly.

"I should probably tell him that you're awake so you can go back to sleep," McCoy grumbled and stood up slowly.

"I do believe that it is in the Captain's best interest to rest," Spock said, matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, but he'll be kickin' himself when he wakes up if he missed you," McCoy stood over Kirk, ready to shake him awake. "Right?" McCoy asked, turning his head to face the Vulcan, who was now in a deep sleep. McCoy sighed to himself and lumbered back to his corner of the enclosure. _How did I end up with these two insufferable beings?_


	6. Chapter 6

Kirk's head reeled, even in his sleep. Images and scenarios flashed through his mind as he tossed and turned. _Broken glass. Broken fists. Broken Bones. Snapping spider-legs._ His mind quickly flipped through ideas that only he could make sense of. In milliseconds, the pros and cons of each plan were assessed and cataloged.

"F***!" Kirk screamed, his eyes snapping open.

"Jim!" McCoy scrambled over to the Captain, yanking his tricorder from his belt. "What's wrong, tell me!" McCoy's eyes were wide with fear as he watched Jim shift uncomfortable, his face plastered with an expression of pain mixed with rage. _Did I miss something on my scan? Does he have internal bleeding?_ McCoy's mind raced.

"Knock it off, Bones." Kirk said harshly, pushing the tricorder away from him. "I'm fine." McCoy's face twisted into an exasperated frown. I just can't think of a way out of here," Kirk braced himself against the wall and slowly rose to his feet.

"Get some more sleep, Jim. That'll help." McCoy stood up with his friend, ready to catch him.

"Yeah, right." Kirk scoffed and glanced over at Spock. "How's he doing?" Kirk nodded in Spock's direction and McCoy sighed heavily.

"Honestly Jim, it's not looking good." McCoy placed the tricorder back in his belt. "He needs help as soon as possible." Kirk closed his eyes tightly as he moved to take a step forward, sharp pain stabbing through his chest. "You shouldn't be moving around too much with broken ribs," McCoy pleaded and gently guided Kirk to the ground again. "You could puncture something if the bones become displaced," McCoy said softly and Kirk pushed away his gentle hands.

"Bones, that's it!" Kirk exclaimed suddenly, forgetting about the searing pain in his chest. He stood up quickly, McCoy cursing under his breath. "HEY!" Kirk screamed as he kicked the wall of the enclosure swiftly, the noise of the blow echoing through the cage.

"Jim, what the hell?!" McCoy cried as Kirk stumbled back into his arms.

"Just wait for it," Kirk smirked through the pain.

"You're an idiot, Jim." McCoy grunted as he lifted Kirk back to his feet.

"I think you've mentioned that," Kirk winced as he pulled a gleaming silver knife from his boot.

"What the- how long have you had _that_?" McCoy asked, still holding the struggling Kirk.

"Never leave home without it," Kirk beamed and swayed on his feet, slipping the gleaming knife up his golden sleeve.

The aliens quickly appeared in front of the glass enclosure, the demonic creature seething with anger.

"Now, now, Captain. I thought that we talked about this." It sighed, seemingly exasperated. _Me too,_ McCoy scoffed to himself.

"I didn't have any other way to get your attention," Kirk smirked, as he always did when he had a plan.

"And what could you possibly need my attention for?" The alien sighed heavily.

"My friend back there," Kirk gestured to Spock, who was lying still on the floor. "He's _dying._ Because of you." Kirk said, the fire in his eyes burning bright and the adrenaline pumping through his veins. "If you give him the antidote _and_ release both of my friends, I swear to you that I will be nothing but compliant. Besides, what could you possibly need with them when you have the most respected Starfleet Captain in the fleet?" Kirk said the alien paused, musing over what Kirk had said.

"My dear Captain," The alien clicked its tongue. "You are in no place to be making demands." The alien moved closer and Kirk gripped the knife tightly in his sleeve. "And just for this bout of insubordination, I'll have to punish you." The alien snapped its fingers and the goo monster swung the door open. Its tentacles rushed in, grabbing Kirk and McCoy swiftly, crushing the air from Kirk's lungs once again. Kirk slid the knife from his sleeve and slashed at the creature's tentacles, cutting them open and pouring out a thick, black liquid. The creature oozed in pain, releasing Kirk and retreating behind the demonic beast. Kirk turned on his heel and lunged at the tentacles encapsulating McCoy, when McCoy let loose a cry of pain. Kirk didn't let up pace as he plunged the knife into the outlying tentacles, ooze pouring out all over the floor. Spock suddenly sprang up from the floor and caught McCoy as Kirk finished off the last of the tentacles.

"No!" The demonic beast called as it watched the last of the goo monster bubble in pain as it dissipated into a puddle. Its small, spider-like legs began to move rapidly as it took off down the long corridor.

"Spock!" Kirk said gleefully, but his smile disappeared as he saw McCoy's eyes shut in pain, his leg twisted unnaturally.

"Go, Jim." Spock nodded to Kirk and Kirk nodded back in response before taking off down the hallway after the creature.

Kirk pumped his legs as fast as they could go, ignoring the building pain in his chest. His lungs burned as he struggled to catch up with the creature. The creature was still fifty meters away from him as it ducked behind a corner and shut the door behind it. Kirk dashed to the door, stopping at the console. It was scrolling out words in an alien language that he didn't understand and he cursed under his breath. He looked all around for a new way to get in. His eyes caught on the catwalk above, leading past the door. _Bones is gonna kill me_. He thought as he began to scale the console to reach the catwalk. His fingers dangled just below the edge of the catwalk as he reached the end of climbable material. He took a deep breath and counted to three, then launched himself from the top of the twenty-foot console onto the edge of the catwalk. He gripped the edge tightly and pulled himself up onto the grated metal painfully. His arms strained as he threw himself onto the floor of the catwalk.

 _Sorry, Bones._ He sighed as he pulled himself slowly back to his feet. He started running once again, down the length of the catwalk, scanning below for any signs of the creature. His eyes caught on the white figure below, hunched over a console in what appeared to be the bridge of the ship. Kirk scurried down the edge of the catwalk and threw himself on top of the horrific creature. The boney plating shifted under the weight of the young captain, but the creature seemed relatively unperturbed. It threw Kirk from its back and onto the floor. Kirk squeaked in pain, but quickly regained composure and lunged at the creature with his knife. He stabbed into one of the spider-like legs and the creature let out an unearthly shriek of pain. It turned its full attention to Kirk and began to throw up its legs wildly, trying to plunge one of its sharp points through Kirk's chest. Kirk rolled on the floor, narrowly dodging each of the pointed legs stabbing itself into the floor. He pulled his knife quickly from the leg of the creature and scrambled out of the way to avoid the ravaging beast. He raced to the console, trying to gain a vantage point as one of the creature's legs tor through the side of his right arm. He howled in pain and the knife clattered to the metal floor of the ship.

"It seems that you are not as smart as you appear, Captain Kirk." The creature hissed as Kirk clutched his arm tightly. "I believe that it's time for you to return to your cage." The creature lifted a leg and forced it down at Kirk, who rolled away, leaving the alien's leg embedded deeply into the console. He slid under the rest of the creature's legs and jumped onto its back and threw his arms around its neck. He reached an arm up and snapped the horn from the creature's head, the creature shrieking in pain. Kirk thrust the pointed horn into the demonic creature's neck and the beast emitted one last blood-curdling scream before collapsing to the ground in a heap of boney ruin.


	7. Chapter 7

Kirk peeled himself up from the ground. His body burned with the effort, his breathing heavy and shaky. He snatched the silver knife from the floor and shoved it back into his boot. _I have to get us out of here_. He thought, pulling himself slowly towards the console. He cursed to himself when he realized that the console was in the same strange alien language that he had seen on the door. _So, there goes contacting the_ Enterprise. He sighed heavily and made his way to the door slowly, bracing himself on the wall of the room. The door slid open and he continued his trek back to Spock and McCoy.

"Jim!" Spock called from where he sat next to McCoy in the enclosure. Kirk stumbled forward, his hand tightly wrapped around the gouge in his right arm.

"You guys alright?" Kirk asked through gritted teeth as he stood in the entrance of the cage.

"Doctor McCoy has a fractured tibia." Spock stated as he watched the Captain carefully.

"Dammit Jim, come here." McCoy attempted to scoot towards Kirk, but Spock held him back.

"I'm alright, Bones." Kirk smiled through the pain as he staggered towards his friends. "But we've got to get a move on." Kirk took his hand off of his wound and brushed it against his pants in an attempt to clean off the blood.

"Captain, you are bleeding." Spock scrambled to his feet as he stared at the crimson-soaked uniform.

"Just a scratch, Spock." Kirk extended his hand to McCoy to help him up.

"Just a scratch my a**!" McCoy frowned as he took Kirk's hand. "Spock, get me something to patch him up."

"We've got stuff on the ship. Now come on." Kirk pulled the older man up and swung his arm around his own shoulder. McCoy shifted uncomfortably, avoiding putting weight on his broken leg. Spock wordlessly did the same with McCoy's other arm and the three men started forward. Kirk gritted his teeth as he moved forward, each step jostling his ribs.

"Jim, tell me if you need a break," McCoy said and Kirk nodded in response.

"This way," Kirk motioned towards the hangar with his head and Spock began to follow his lead. They continued towards the ship, every step draining each man of what little energy they had left.

"Hold it!" The three men froze in their tracks as a bellowing voice called from behind them. "Where do you think you're going?" Kirk's blood ran cold as he turned his head to see what the voice was coming from.

Before he could turn around, a large hand wrapped itself around his entire body and whisked him up and away from his friends. Kirk frantically struggled against the beefy hand before the owner of the hand turned him to face him. A giant loomed over Kirk, staring at him with a devilish grin spread across his face.

"Ok, I don't know what beanstalk I climbed up to make you so upset," Kirk bantered. "But you can let me go, and I _promise_ to return your golden goose."

"Captain James Tiberius Kirk," The giant smiled, turning Kirk over in his hand to examine him. "I am a lucky one. Uzaliaz told me that you were here, but I didn't believe him. I thought his distress signal was a fake." The giant laughed and the whole room shook. He swooped down with his other hand and scooped up McCoy and Spock. "And your entourage!" He chuckled as McCoy's anger boiled over. "I really have to thank Uzaliaz for this!"

"Uzaliaz is dead!" Kirk spat. "That is, if he was the demented spider demon." Kirk said and the smile disappeared from the giant's face.

"Wonderful!" The giant's smile reappeared, bigger than before. "You're all mine."


	8. Chapter 8

"I don't know if this is common knowledge for giants, but we little people don't enjoy being man-handled." Kirk yelled as the giant lumbered back to its ship.

"I don't know if this is common knowledge for little people, but I don't care." The giant retorted.

"Rude." Kirk scoffed quietly and shifted to try and avoid bringing on more pain to his ribs.

"You alright, Jim?" McCoy called from the giant's other hand.

"I'm fine!" Kirk responded, pain flaring up in his chest again.

"You're injured, Captain?" The giant stopped suddenly. "Well, why didn't you say so?" The giant picked up his pace to a run. They finally reached the giant's ship through the portside entrance in the hangar. The giant ducked inside the enormous entryway and brought them aboard his ship. Kirk gaped at the interior of the vessel. He had expected everything to be designed for a giant, but he couldn't have imagined it to be the way it was. Kirk finally knew what it felt like to be an ant.

The giant ducked down a hallway and opened a small laser-gridded cell and dumped McCoy and Spock inside.

"Hey!" McCoy screamed, but the giant simply closed the door and continued down the hallway.

The giant stopped when they reached what Kirk assumed to be a medical facility. A titanic sized biobed stood in one corner of the room and the rest of the space was filled with cluttered medical supplies. The giant plopped Kirk down on the biobed and pulled a giant magnifying glass from the medical tray.

"Oh, that's a nasty little cut," The giant mused as he examined the rest of Kirk. "I'll get you patched up." The giant set down the magnifying glass and pushed a large red button on the side of the bed. Kirk scrambled to his feet as he watched a human-sized flying robot approached him. "Relax, Captain. You're no good to me dead." Kirk gulped as the robot let loose its twisting legs before him. It moved rapidly, sitting him down and running a regenerator across his arm. He watched as it quickly scanned his chest and he clenched his fists in pain as he felt it resetting the bones and sealing them back together.

"All better," The giant smiled as the robot flew away as quickly as it had come.

"My friends," Kirk said, still trying to process what had just happened. "They need help too. My First Officer-"

"Mr. Spock." The giant interrupted.

"Spock," Kirk continued warily. "He's been poisoned. And Doctor McCoy has a broken leg."

"That Uzaliaz has always been a cruel one," The giant chuckled. "I'll strike a deal with you, Captain. If you do something for me, I'll save your friends." The giant said and Kirk paused.

"What do you want me to do?" Kirk asked, fidgeting nervously.

"There's a competition back on my planet. More of a tournament, really. I can sign up a champion and you could bring me fame and fortune."

"What would I have to do?" Kirk asked, already well aware of what he would do to save his friends.

"Fight."


	9. Chapter 9

"He's doing God knows what to Kirk right now, and you think that now's a good time for meditation?!" McCoy asked furiously as Spock sat unmoving in a meditative stance.

"I do." Spock said quietly, fighting back the waves of nausea creeping up on him.

"Well, when Jim gets back, I'll be sure to mention that you care." McCoy huffed sarcastically, watching the entrance of the cell, awaiting the giant's return.

A small robot whizzed up to the entrance of the cell and stopped in front of McCoy. McCoy jumped back in surprise as the robot passed through the laser grid with ease.

"What the…" McCoy asked as the robot's arms emerged from its body and began to pull on his leg. He retracted it in fear, but the robot grabbed a hold of it anyway. A hypo was thrust into his neck and the robot quickly set the break in his leg. He tried to complain groggily, but the painkiller in the hypo was too strong for him to form words. The robot whizzed up to Spock and pushed a hypo into his neck as well.

"That should relieve the symptoms for at least a day," The giant said from the entrance of the cell. Spock breathed in relief as he felt the nausea being washed out of his body. "You're welcome." The giant's hand unfurled and Kirk at patiently in his palm. He reached down with his free hand and set Kirk gently down inside and powered the grid back on.

"Why are you doing this?" McCoy asked, staring at the giant in disbelief.

"Call it a fair trade." The giant chuckled and thundered away.

"Jim!" McCoy called and tried to stand before remembering his leg.

"I'm fine, Bones." Kirk walked over to his friend and sat down beside him.

"Captain, it is most illogical that the giant has provided us with proper medical care for nothing in return," Spock said, scooting closer to McCoy and Kirk. McCoy had already taken Kirk's arm and began inspecting where the wound had been.

"I don't understand," McCoy breathed, waving his tricorder over Kirk's arm and chest. "Not even the regenerators that we have back on the _Enterprise_ could do this!"

"Guess they're a little more advanced." Kirk shrugged. McCoy noticed the dark bags under his eyes again.

"Regardless, any kind of regenerator's going to take a toll on your body. You need to rest, Jim." McCoy pleaded and Kirk nodded slightly, already dozing off as he spoke. McCoy laid him down gently beside him and breathed a sigh of relief as Kirk fell into a deep sleep.

"That does not answer my question." Spock said, a slight frown on his otherwise stoic face.

"Let the man sleep, Spock. Jesus." McCoy shook his head at the Vulcan. "We'll figure everything out later." McCoy ran his tricorder over Spock again. "How do you feel?"

"The nausea has subsided, though I fear that it is only temporary." Spock said plainly.

"Why not just cure you? I don't get it. He's obviously got the technology here. Heck, he could bring a man back to _life_ if he wanted to."

"It is curious that the being did not completely rid us of our ailments. Perhaps we are simply incentives for the Captain, seeing as he is already healed?"

"Could be," McCoy nodded slightly, his face tight with a frown. "But what has this idiot got himself into now?"


	10. Chapter 10

"Wake up, kid. You've got to wake up." McCoy shook Kirk's shoulder slightly, trying not to hurt him.

"Wha-" Kirk's voice was slurred as he blinked his eyes sleepily.

"I think we've docked somewhere." McCoy hissed and Kirk sat up straight. Kirk rubbed his eyes with his fists and blinked rapidly until the holding cell came into view. The white panels floors and walls came into being again, and so did the green laser gate. The entire room suddenly lurched forward, shaking Kirk out of his slumber and nearly throwing the three men into the lasers.

"Captain, now would be a wonderful time for you to further inform us of what exactly is happening here." Spock said, his voice almost pleading. Kirk remained silent.

"Jim," McCoy pleaded, but was cut off by the sound of footsteps thundering down the hall.

"We're here!" The giant called, coming into view. A wide smile was spread across his face as he clapped his hands together in joy. His large hand switched off the laser gird and plucked the three men from the cell carefully. He reached down to a shelf below and produced a small box riddled with small holes. "I hope you don't mind, gentlemen. I thought it would be more comfortable." The giant pried open the lid of the box and plopped the men inside. McCoy clutched his leg in pain as he hit the floor. Kirk scrambled to his feet and took McCoy's arm and pulled him off the floor. Spock slipped under McCoy's other arm and the two men carried him to a small bench on the side of the box.

"Not super comfortable, but I guess it's better than being man-handled." Kirk sighed as he examined the interior of the box. The holes let in small amounts of light, barely illuminating the inside. As the door on the top slid shut, only spotlights of the outside could be seen. The small bench on the side of the box was the only furnishing.

"I concur." Spock sat down next to McCoy and ran the tricorder over his leg. "It is still set, Doctor. The fall appears to have only jostled it slightly."

"I know, I'm a doctor." McCoy hastily snatched the tricorder from Spock.

"Jim, do you have any speculation as to where the giant is taking us?" Spock asked, trying not to pry.

"Not the slightest clue." Kirk huffed and sat down on the floor of the box.

"What does he want with us?" McCoy asked.

"Didn't say." Kirk lied through his teeth, hoping that neither of his companions would notice.

"That is peculiar." Spock mused, raising an eyebrow quizzically.

"Yeah." Kirk said, almost inaudibly. Spock knew that he was hiding something. The younger man was almost _never_ silent, especially when it came to situations like this.

"What did the giant talk to you about when he took you to the sickbay?" Spock asked, pushing for more information.

"Huh?" Kirk asked, being dragged away from his thoughts. "Oh, nothing. Just told me what he was doing to me."

"Very interesting." Spock nodded slightly. Kirk fell silent once again, staring out of one of the holes in the side of the box. The three men sat silently, swaying slightly as the giant carried them into the unknown.


	11. Chapter 11

"Welcome to your home!" The giant bellowed, sliding open the top of the box and tipping it to the side. The three men tumbled out onto what appeared to be a street. Kirk rubbed his head as he looked around in awe. All around them stood what appeared to be a model city of sorts. Old-timey cars beeped as they passed down the streets, small shrubs and bushes littered the sides of the streets, apartment complexes stood along the side of the road. In the distance, tall buildings rose above the outskirts of what seemed to be a city. Kirk looked around in awe, examining everything from the concrete beneath him to the glass dome that stood over a hundred stories above his head.

"Where the hell are we?" McCoy asked breathlessly.

"It appears to be a model of Earthen civilization during the mid-nineteen fifties." Spock said, getting gracefully to his feet.

"I don't get it," McCoy's eyebrows drew together in confusion and thought. Spock scooped the doctor up and held him like a small child. Kirk's eyes caught on a seemingly empty townhouse straight in front of them.

"I guess we should try this," Kirk shrugged and knocked on the door of the townhouse. After getting no response, he turned the doorknob slowly. The door creaked open and he looked back to Spock for confirmation.

"The giant did say that this would become our home." Spock said and McCoy kept on his sour face. Kirk opened the door fully and reached around the wall in search of a light switch. He flicked it on and the chandelier above a small wooden table glowed to life. The inside of the townhouse was quaint, and certainly not anything that any of the men had experienced before. The hardwood flooring shone brightly, reflecting the lights dangling from the ceiling. The bright red walls breathed life into the room, contrasting the white ceiling. The townhouse itself only had three rooms—the kitchen and dining area, the bathroom, and one bedroom. Kirk walked inside cautiously, awaiting some sort of trap.

"What kind of world did we just walk into?" McCoy asked, shifting uncomfortably in Spock's arms. Spock dropped the doctor gently on the small, crème couch in the living room, propping up his broken leg.

"One bedroom." Kirk called from the doorway of the bedroom. "Two beds." McCoy looked at Spock with fear in his eyes. "I'll take the couch." Kirk winked and disappeared inside of the bedroom. Spock and McCoy looked at each other in horror.

"What exactly does the giant expect from us?" Spock asked, inspecting the kitchen.

"I dunno," Kirk shrugged, pulling an apple from the fruit bowl on the counter. "But I'm about to go find out. You stay here and take care of Bones." He left the house quickly and the door shut softly behind him.

"What's gotten into him?" McCoy asked, shifting on the couch.

"I suspect that it has something to do with the giant." Spock sighed.

"Well?" McCoy sat up as straight as he could on the couch. "Go after him!"

Spock nodded and slipped out the front door. He scanned the street and a flash of gold caught his eye. He watched as Kirk rounded the corner, heading off into the city. Spock sped-walked down the pristine sidewalk, hoping to catch up with his Captain.

"Captain!" He called out, trying to catch Kirk's attention. He frowned as Kirk continued forward, moving like a steam roller. _Now, where could he be going so urgently?_ Spock thought to himself as he picked up his pace to a slight jog. Kirk suddenly rounded another corner and vanished from sight. Spock found himself in the crowded city square, people rushing all around him. He sighed heavily and pushed through the crowd and turned down the street he saw Kirk disappear. As he had expected, Kirk was nowhere to be found. The dank alleyway showed no signs of his Captain either. _Doctor McCoy will not be pleased._


	12. Chapter 12

"Well, if it isn't James T. Kirk," A Klingon sneered from the other end of the large conference table. Kirk rolled his eyes and took a seat at the gigantic round table that was crowded with at least two dozen other creatures and beings from all walks of life. As he sat down, all eyes turned to him. Kirk felt himself shrink, but forced himself to stiffen up and puff out his chest. "Turns out Mr.-High-and-Mighty isn't so high and mighty after all," The Klingon chuckled and laughter broke out amongst the others in attendance.

"Yeah? How about we have a little exhibition match right now?" Kirk snapped back, his classic smirk spread across his face. A few of the other species at the table seemed to shy away at his taunt, sitting back a little farther in their seats.

"Now gentlemen, there's no need to bicker." Something called from above them, the voice booming inside of the cramped, dark room. Everyone in attendance looked up as the roof of the building was removed carefully to reveal a giant's face. Kirk didn't recognize this giant to be the one to kidnap him and his muscles tensed. "There will be plenty of time for fighting," The giant snickered and replaced the roof of the building gingerly.

As soon as the roof was replaced, a viewing screen rose from the center of the round table. It flickered to life to reveal a more size-appropriate view of the collection of giants that seemed to stand above them. The face of the giant in the center was riddled with scars and tribal tattoos that Kirk's mind rushed to recognize.

"It is time to explain the games," The giant bellowed. He seemed to be the leader of the rag-tag group of Neanderthals, stepping up in front of them to establish dominance. Kirk sat up straighter as he recognized the giant that had stolen them from the smuggler's ship standing behind the leader smugly. "I am Toolah-Fal, the leader of this community. I must congratulate you all on your selection for the one thousandth Depal Tournament." The giant smiled and Kirk saw a few of the people around him shift pridefully. "First and foremost, we are to establish the rules of the contest to all of you newcomers. The Depal tournament is an honorary match of strength and wit meant to push even the strongest of beings to their limits-physically and mentally. The tournament bracket is arranged so that each fighter will have exactly one fight per day until the championships. There is to be no matches forfeited, skipped, or changed. Each contender must arrive to the competition site at least twenty minutes before their match. Any interaction with your opponent before a match will result in an advantage awarded to your next opponent." The giant paused, attempting to allow his words to resonate in the minds of the contestants.

"Furthermore, there will be no attempt at sabotage by any other contenders, no matter the circumstances." The giant continued. "Now, it is within the rules to interact with opponents, so long as there is no foul play. After each match of pool play is completed, the tallies of each contender's victories and losses will be added to their rankings, deciding their seed in the finals. Once the rankings are decided, the real fun begins. Based on the contender's seed, they will be pitted against someone suitable for competition. These matches are single elimination," The giant paused and Kirk sighed deeply, already fearing what he would say next. "Each round will be played to the death." The giant smiled crookedly and the contenders around Kirk stiffened uncomfortably. "Furthermore, there will be no medical attention allowed from the hospital in the city. Any use of the hospital will result in an advantage to your opponent that will be decided by the council."

"So, what's the point?" Kirk spoke up and all eyes turned to him. "What do we get out of this, you know, besides _not dying._ "

"Is the honor of victory not enough for you, Captain?" The giant asked and Kirk raised an eyebrow sarcastically. "The victor will be awarded with a special suite in the city. You will be forever honored in our history." The giant continued, as if that should be sufficient.

" _Wonderful._ " Kirk scoffed and propped his head up on his arm.

"I wish you all luck in your competition," The giant smiled once again. "Victory will be bestowed on the worthy." The giant finished and the screen flashed a tournament bracket. All of the beasts around Kirk flocked to the screen, eager to see who it was that they would compete against. Kirk sat back in his chair, trying to seem as uninterested as possible. Deep inside, his heart was pounding out of his chest. He knew why he was doing this. McCoy and Spock needed his help.

"Captain Kirk," The Klingon across the table yelled and Kirk met his eyes. "I wish you luck in your first match." The Klingon sneered and pointed to a larger creature standing in the corner of the room. Kirk glanced over at the behemoth. It reminded him of a cross between a crocodile and a bodybuilder. The creature was staring at his own hands, leaning lazily against the wall of the room. Long faded slash marks were cut all up and down his arms. His long-snouted face was mangled with scars and steel quills protruding from his nose.

"This'll be fun," Kirk said quietly and rolled his eyes.

"All contenders to the arena!" The giant's voice boomed over a loudspeaker and the contenders begrudgingly pushed open the large steel doors. Kirk reluctantly stood up from the table and followed the crowd of gruesome beings into the arena. It looked like an old factory, strung up with chains on the ceiling and rickety old bleachers sitting to the sides that seemed as though they would give out at any minute. Smack dab in the center of the arena was the ring- a menacing caged-in mat that towered above the bleachers.

The doors shut suddenly behind Kirk as he stepped inside and the entire room began to sway back and forth. Kirk watched as the walls collapsed helplessly to the ground, revealing a clear bubble around the arena that resembled the one over the city. The crowd of giants loomed around the small dome, huddling around it so that they could all get a glimpse of the action.

"Let the match begin!" The lead giant bellowed and the small chain-link door on the cage swung open. Two contenders entered, one at a time. An Andorian entered the ring, followed by a small, crab-like creature that Kirk didn't recognize.

Kirk huffed and slowly made his way over to the bleachers. It was bad enough that he had to fight, but he also had to watch. He knew that this was his only time to strategize.

"You lost, Captain?" Kirk's head snapped toward the female voice that called his name. A young woman with skin the color of a fresh orange and dressed in a tight black lacy cocktail gown sat on the bleachers next to him. "Care for a seat?" The woman patted the empty spot next to her. Kirk warily accepted and plopped down beside her. "So, you're the famous Jim Kirk." The woman cooed.

"In the flesh," Kirk had to consciously stop himself from flirting with the woman. "How'd you end up here?" He asked, refusing to meet her eyes. He slouched forward and kept his vision fixated on the match.

"Kind of a long story," The woman sighed.

"Well, we've got the time." Kirk huffed.

"I was taken from my village. I was the head of security there. It was my duty to teach the children to fight," She sighed wistfully.

"And where exactly are you from?" Kirk asked, turning to get another look at her.

"You haven't heard of it," She said quickly.

"What's the deal with this place, anyway?" Kirk asked, returning his attention to the match.

"I've only been here for a couple of months, at the most." She shrugged. "All I know is that they practically breed the people in town to love the fight and to provide the Olgads with new champions."

"That's just great," Kirk rolled his eyes. "So we're slaves now?"

"It's not so bad," The woman shrugged. "They give us a decent place to live. We can't really complain."

"Oh trust me, I can." Kirk grumbled, watching as the match ended. The crab held the Andorian in a choke-hold and had to be removed by the officials. "I didn't catch your name." Kirk nodded in the woman's direction.

"Alyah." She said softly. Kirk nodded at her and let his eyes wander back to the arena where the next fight was just beginning.

"So, Alyah. Have you heard of anyone getting off this planet?" Kirk asked, knowing that it was a long shot that she would tell him anything.

"Never." She said curtly.

"Guess I'll be the first," Kirk smiled smugly and the woman replied with a soft smile.


	13. Chapter 13

"The next competition, Captain James T. Kirk versus the great Goliath Grogulan!" Toolah-Fal's voice rang out over the loudspeakers and the crowd jeered. Kirk sighed and slowly stood up from his seat on the bleachers. All of the competitors surrounding him booed and hissed at him, but he simply flashed a smug grin in return. He pushed his way through the angry aliens, making his way to the ring. His heart was pounding out of his chest. He could already feel the adrenaline coursing through his veins. The fire inside of him raged as he reached the cage.

"Captain Kirk," The official, a Romulan that appeared to not have showered in fifteen years, motioned for him to enter the ring. Kirk sighed and stepped in reluctantly, his Grogulan competitor already awaiting him in the ring. As soon as his foot hit the ground inside, he felt his shirt being torn from his body. He whirled around in confusing to see the Romulan holding the ragged remains of his uniform. "No shirts in the arena," The Romulan sneered and threw the shirt to the ground.

Kirk sighed and faced his competitor once again. The Grogulan snapped its enormous jaws at him as the cage door slammed shut. The muscles on the Grogulan twitched in anticipation, the sweat from the adrenaline already building on his bare purple chest.

"Let the match begin!" Toolah-Fal exclaimed and the Grogulan charged at Kirk. Kirk swiftly rolled to the side, sending the behemoth clattering into the chain-link wall. Kirk swiveled around and watched the beast snarl as he stood up. All of Kirk's instincts took over. Every bar fight, every skirmish, every act of violence in his entire life was engraved in his memory. He didn't have to think as the beast charged again and Kirk ducked to the ground and passed through his legs as he went by. It was pure instinct to throw himself at the Grogulan, wrapping his arms tightly around the creature's neck.

The Grogulan struggled to throw Kirk off its back. Kirk held on tightly, digging his feet into the back of the beast, making the creature howl in pain. Kirk jerked all of his weight backwards, throwing the creature to the mat. He scrambled to his feet and kicked hard into the Grogulan's snout. The Grogulan's eyes went red with rage as it stood up, despite the repeated blows to the snout. Kirk jumped back as the Grogulan swashed its large crocodile-like hands at his stomach. The creature suddenly shot the razor-sharp quills from its snout, embedding the metal into Kirk's chest. He let out a sharp cry of pain as the quills stuck out of his skin.

"I didn't ask for acupuncture," Kirk snapped, sliding into the creature's legs and sending it to the ground once again. He spun on the floor before he stood up, landing another hard kick in the creature's snout. The Grogulan howled and held its snout and Kirk stood up swiftly. He took advantage of the downed opponent and smashed his foot in the Grogulan's face again and again.

Suddenly, the Romulan grabbed Kirk's arms and yanked him backwards away from his opponent. Kirk tried to pull his arms free, but the Romulan held on tightly. The Grogulan writhed in pain on the ground, clutching its snout in anguish.

"We have a winner!" Toolah-Fal bellowed and Kirk let his muscles relax. The Romulan released its grip on Kirk and he pulled his arms towards his body defensively. He looked down at his chest, finally realizing the pain of the quills in his flesh. _Bones isn't going to be happy._


	14. Chapter 14

"Excellent performance, Captain!" The giant that captured Kirk's team clapped his hands gleefully. Kirk relaxed in the chair in the giant's office, slowly picking the quills from his muscles. "I couldn't have asked for anything better!" He plucked a glass of champagne from his end table on the opposite corner of the dimly lit dingy room. "No longer will the other giants see me as 'Rolular the weak'!" The giant seemed a little too excited for Kirk's comfort.

"Thanks?" He said, cringing in pain as he pulled another quill from his skin.

"I cannot thank you enough," The giant set the large bottle of champagne in front of Kirk, shaking the chair he sat in and causing him to jostle one of the quills. "But save your strength, this is just the beginning."

"I got that, yeah." Kirk grunted, pulling the quill from his chest.

"I've sent medical supplies to your friends," Rolular beamed at Kirk, taking a seat in the enormous chair in front of him. "Mr. Spock should get another dose to last him until after tomorrow's fight. And Doctor McCoy should get some painkillers."

"Thank you," Kirk relaxed his tense muscles after pulling out the last quill.

"I should warn you, though. If you throw the fights, there will be consequences." Rolular's voice became deep and detached. "If you don't bring home another victory, I can't help your friends. That's our deal."

"I know." Kirk said stiffly. "Guess I'll just have to go undefeated, then." He smirked at the giant who bellowed with laughter in response.

"That's the spirit!" The entire room shook with his laughter. "We'll be victors in no time!"


	15. Chapter 15

"Spock!" McCoy cried in relief as Spock walked through the front door of their small home. "Did you catch up with Jim?" He gushed, trying to pull himself up from the couch.

"Unfortunately, not." Spock said, clasping his hands carefully behind his back once he shut the door behind him.

"Well, then where have you been all this time?" McCoy grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I have been exploring the city, in search of the Captain." Spock said matter-of-factly.

"And you didn't find him? Maybe you should've considered, oh I don't know, _coming back to get me_?" McCoy said angrily as Spock scooped him up in his arms, cradling the older man like a baby.

"Having you accompany me would merely have slowed down my efforts," Spock stated, carrying McCoy back to the bedroom. "It would have been a fruitless effort."

"Yeah, well I don't appreciate being left here all alone," McCoy grumbled. "What made you come back if you didn't find him?" He asked as Spock set him gently on the neatly folded sheets of the queen-sized bed.

"It was only logical to cease a search that would yield no results. Jim will come back on his own accord. And besides, Doctor, I assumed that you would require assistance."

"Damn straight." McCoy mumbled as Spock propped his leg up on the extra pillows. "What did you find out when you were in town, anyway?"

"Little of value. We have been confined to this city-like prison for a reason that is not yet known to me." Spock clasped his hands behind his back once again. "Can I bring you something to eat, Doctor?"

"Maybe some oxycontin," McCoy scoffed.

"I will see what I can find," Spock nodded politely and left the room soundlessly. He returned to the kitchen and began to scour the wooden cabinets for any sort of painkiller. He could feel the nausea began to seep back into his body, but he did his best to keep it at bay. He was unsure if he would get another dose of the antidote, and he wouldn't be kept down if he could help it.

"Hey," Kirk waltzed through the front door, struggling to carry large paper grocery bags inside. "Give me a hand?" He smiled nervously as Spock rushed over and snatched a bag before its contents spilled onto the hardwood floor. "Thanks." Kirk sighed in relief as he plopped the paper bags on the kitchen counter.

"Captain, I should like to inquire about your whereabouts." Spock said, dropping the bag next to the others on the counter.

"Is that Jim?" McCoy called from the bedroom. "You tell him that I have some words for him!" He shouted and Kirk's face tightened.

"It's a long story," Kirk replied, pulling the contents of the paper bags out and splaying them on the countertop. He pulled groceries and household items from inside of them and began to organize them into the cabinets. Spock looked at Kirk expectantly, noticing the new tight-fitting black shirt that the Captain was sporting. "Fine," Kirk sighed. "I went out to the local bar to see what I could find out. I got nothing. So, I went at looked around the city a little bit to poke around some more. Turns out that there is no currency system here, really. It's all based on the giant that kidnapped us, how much we can have." An apple rolled out of the paper bag and bounced onto the floor. He sighed heavily and bent down to grab the apple. His chest tightened, all of the bruises and punctures from the quills aching as he tensed his muscles.

"Jim," Spock said quietly, placing a hand softly on Kirk's back.

"I know, I picked up some Vulcan meals for you too." Kirk smiled, trying to remain completely undeterred by the pain. Spock raised an eyebrow quizzically in response, and took a step back.

"I don't suppose that they had any sweet tea?" McCoy grunted, holding himself up on the walls, his injured leg dangling limply.

"Bones," Kirk let out an exasperated sigh and swooped in to support McCoy's shoulder with his arm. McCoy reluctantly pushed his weight onto the younger man's shoulder. Kirk winced slightly with the effort, but quickly pushed the pain away. "I thought you would know better. You're a doctor, right?" Kirk bantered, leading McCoy to the couch.

"Yeah, I'm a doctor, but you're a _moron!_ " McCoy scoffed as Kirk lowered him down softly onto the couch. "Where've you been?" McCoy stared down Kirk like he was a disobedient puppy.

"To get supplies and see what I could find out about this town, geez." Kirk shrugged and headed back to the kitchen.

"That's no excuse, Jim. You've been gone for _five hours._ You could've been dead, for all we knew. Isn't that right, Spock?" McCoy snapped his head towards the Vulcan for support. Spock swayed on his feet in the kitchen, nearly succumbing to the nausea built up inside of him.

"Spock?" Kirk asked, rushing to his friend's side as his knees buckled from beneath him. Kirk scooped him up in his arms as he slid to the floor. "Spock, talk to me!" Kirk begged, watching Spock's eyelids droop shut, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.

"It's the damned poison!" McCoy swore and shifted to stand up off the couch.

"McCoy, stay put!" Kirk turned quickly and scolded McCoy. McCoy's eyes went wide with the shock of the reprimand.

"Come on, Spock." Kirk pleaded, Spock's eyes struggling to stay open. Kirk threw Spock's arm over his shoulder and struggled to pull the Vulcan to his feet. "Scoot over," Kirk grunted under Spock's weight. McCoy obediently shifted over on the couch and Kirk laid him gently next to the doctor. "What can you do for him?" Kirk asked, the panic rising in his body. _Rolular was supposed to send the medicine._ Kirk thought, his heart racing.

"Get me a cold compress," McCoy instructed and Kirk took off for the bathroom. He snatched a washcloth from the cabinet and soaked it in cool water. He rushed it back to McCoy who laid it gingerly on Spock's glossy forehead. "See what you can find in the first aid kit," He cooed to Kirk, seeing the panic in his friend's eyes. Kirk nodded and took a step towards the kitchen when the doorbell rang through the house. He froze in his tracks and stared at the door. He shared a worried glance with McCoy and hesitantly made his way to the door. He silently swung it open to find a small cardboard box sitting on the doorstep, delicately wrapped in yellow paper. Kirk snatched it up and rushed it over to the kitchen island.

"Jim, what in the world is that?" McCoy asked from the couch, his hand resting gently on top of the compress on Spock's glossy forehead. Kirk ignored the question and tore open the yellow wrapping, revealing the plain box underneath. A note was attached to the front, addressed to him. He silently slipped it in his pocket and ripped open the box. Inside was a small hypo with 'Spock' printed on the top. Kirk snatched it from the box and dashed back to the couch. "Jim?" McCoy asked as Kirk thrust the hypo into his hand. "Jim, I can't just give this to him—" McCoy cooed, pushing the hypo back at Kirk.

"It's from the giant!" Kirk insisted, closing McCoy's fingers around the small hypo. "Please," Kirk pleaded and McCoy sighed heavily.

"This had better work," McCoy sighed and pressed the hypo into Spock's neck. Spock cringed as the hypo hissed. His eyes fluttered open and he stared at McCoy and Kirk in disbelief.

"Doctor, what—" Spock started to sit up, but McCoy pushed him back down gently.

"You stay down, now." McCoy said softly as Spock looked around in bewilderment. "That seemed to do the trick, Jim." McCoy sighed in relief.

"Good," Kirk took a deep breath. "How are you feeling, Spock?" Kirk asked, trying to pull himself from the adrenaline frenzy.

"A bit disoriented, but quite alright." Spock nodded towards Kirk.

"Thank God," Kirk stood up slowly, feeling the aching return to his body.

"That's the last time I'm pumping some unknown antidote in his veins," McCoy huffed as he watched Kirk carefully. "And you still owe me an explanation, Jim." McCoy stared him down, hoping that the heat of his gaze would stop the younger man in his tracks.

"Will do, Bones." Kirk said, waving his hand behind him absentmindedly. He couldn't think straight, the note in his back pocket seeming to burn a hole in his pants.

"And where are you going now?" McCoy called, watching Kirk disappear behind the corner of the wall.

"To wash up and start some dinner," Kirk peeked his head out from around the corner and offered a small smile that didn't reach his eyes. He ducked his head back around the corner and McCoy heaved a heavy sigh.

"He seems unwell," Spock said quietly, shifting under McCoy's hand.

"You're telling me." McCoy grumbled, examining the newly emptied hypo in his hands.

"What course of action should we take?" Spock asked.

"If I know Jim, there isn't a damned thing that we can do to fix anything." McCoy ran his fingers over the Spock label on the hypo curiously. "He's got to figure things out on his own."

"I fear that he is partaking in some sort of physical competition of strength." Spock stated.

"You mean he's been fighting?" McCoy said, exasperated that he had to translate the sentence.

"I believe that's what I said." Spock replied and McCoy huffed loudly.

"Of course you did." McCoy's words dripped with sarcasm. "If Jim's fighting, which I don't doubt, he's not going to listen to us."

"Then what action do you suggest?" Spock watched as the doctor tried to unscrew the empty hypo.

"I'll talk to him tonight. See if I can smooth things over. I don't think that he's recovered from the whole Klingon incident yet, anyway." McCoy grunted as he tried to pry off the hypo's lid. Spock reached up a hand silently and McCoy begrudgingly dropped it in his hand. Spock clicked off the top with ease and handed it back to McCoy.

"That is a very acute observation, doctor." Spock said and McCoy stared at him in disbelief.

"Was that sarcastic?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Vulcans do not utilize the sarcastic device of speech." Spock raised his eyebrows at McCoy, which McCoy interpreted to be the Vulcan's equivalent of a smirk. _Kirk's even rubbing off on the Vulcan._ He rolled his eyes at the thought.

"You're insufferable." McCoy frowned.


	16. Chapter 16

Kirk bowed his head near the sink and let the water pool in his hands. He breathed in deeply, ignoring the pain sparking in his chest. He let out a heavy sigh and splashed the water onto his face. He dried his hands on the small, green towel hanging on the silver ring, and slipped the note out from his back pocket.

 _Just wanted to give you a little reminder of why you're fighting. -Rolular._ The note read. Kirk crumped it in his fingers and threw it into the toilet, then pulled the handle of the porcelain throne, sending the note swirling off into oblivion.

He braced himself on his arm above the sink, trying to avoid staring at his own reflection. He sighed again, pushing himself off from where he leaned.

 _Pull it together, Jim._ He thought to himself. _You've got to take care of Spock and Bones. No matter what._ He looked into his own eyes in the mirror. The usual perky blue color had faded and left only steel behind. _You know what you have to do_.

/

"Everything alright, Jim?" McCoy asked, watching his friend carefully as he left the bathroom.

"Peachy," Kirk offered a tight smile and swung open the refrigerator. He tapped his fingers lightly against the stainless steel as he scoured the contents. "I'm making dinner." He said before taking a swig of a maroon juice.

"Jim, do you remember the last time that you made dinner? It was that shore leave on Earth, and you nearly burned down the whole damned Iowan woods!" McCoy shifted to stand up.

"So one little incident with the grill, and I'm not allowed to cook anymore?" Kirk shot back playfully, extracting the ingredients from the fridge.

"I would hardly call filling the broken grill with lighter fluid to 'kickstart' it an incident." McCoy huffed as he pushed his weight off the couch and stood shakily on one leg.

"Bones, just sit." Kirk let out an exasperated sigh and Spock tugged on his arm to make him sit back down. "I've got frozen dinners. Even _I_ can't screw that up."

"Oh, you'll find a way." McCoy grumbled and made himself comfortable on the couch next to Spock. "You always do."


	17. Chapter 17

"Jim, could I speak to you for a moment?" Spock lingered in the kitchen as Kirk put the last dish into the cabinet.

"Sure," Kirk said absentminded, closing the cabinet softly then wiping his hands dry on the small towel.

"Please inform me of the logic in establishing residency here." Spock said, which Kirk translated to mean _Why aren't you freaking the hell out right now?_

"I told you, I just need a little time to figure a way out of here, then we'll be on our way." Kirk wadded up the towel and dropped it on the counter top.

"Captain," Spock pleaded as Kirk turned to walk away. "I know about the fights, Jim." Spock said and Kirk's blood ran cold. He stopped in his tracks for half a second before abruptly turning around again.

"What are you talking about, Spock?" Kirk asked, maintaining the façade he worked so hard to keep up.

"The tournament. It's all that the local townspeople converse about." Spock said, tilting his head down slightly in an attempt to appear more approachable.

"I think that poison's gone to your brain," Kirk scoffed and turned to walk away. Spock grabbed his undershirt and yanked it upward, revealing the purple spots on his chest.

"I'm sure that there's another logical explanation for these, then." Spock said plainly, letting Kirk quickly grab his shirt from his and.

"God, Spock. At least buy me _dinner_ first." Kirk mumbled, trying to plaster a smirk on his face, but was coming up empty.

Spock stared at him expectantly, raising an eyebrow.

"Alright," Kirk sighed and meandered towards the couch. "It's not what you think." He plopped down and let his head rest on the back of the couch. "It's this whole convoluted tournament. I have to win."

"Captain, I am quite sure that there is a more efficient way to ensure our safe travel off this planet," Spock replied in a hushed tone and followed Kirk to the couch, hands folded behind his back elegantly.

"And get you the medicine you need to actually _live_?" Kirk looked at Spock, his electric blue eyes having lost their energy. The spunk had been replaced with anguish. Spock felt something inside of him soften, and he had to consciously retain his stoic expression.

"Jim," Spock said softly, but Kirk turned his head to stare back up at the ceiling.

"Non-negotiable, Spock." He sighed. "Don't tell McCoy," Kirk pleaded, his eyes meeting Spock's again.

"Captain, I cannot in good conscience keep this information from the doctor—"

"Just try, okay?" Kirk interrupted. "He'd kick my a** if he found out." Kirk smiled slightly. Spock took in a deep breath, thinking tactfully of what to say next. "You should get some rest, Spock." Kirk said, relaxing his tense muscles. "I'll do the same until McCoy wakes up from that morphine sleep." Kirk laughed a little to himself and Spock responded with a puzzled look. "Slipped it in his dinner." Kirk smirked and Spock had to suppress an eye-roll. "Goodnight, Spock."

"Goodnight, Jim." Spock said warily, watching as Kirk slowly melted into the couch cushions.

/

"Wha the 'ell?" McCoy's speech came out slurred and broken. He picked his head up slowly from the pillow and rubbed his eyes.

"Doctor, it is good to see that you're awake." Spock stood over the doctor's bedside, watching over him curiously.

"Goddammit, Spock." McCoy cursed and flung his pillow at the Vulcan. "What's going on?" He asked, slowly sitting up. The pain in his leg was numbed, but he could still feel its dull throbbing.

"It seems as though the Captain has administered some type of medication to help you to sleep," Spock stated plainly and McCoy snapped back into focus.

"Jim." He growled and threw the blankets from his bed. "That damn idiot," He snarled as he stumbled out of the bed and into Spock's strong arms. "Lemme go," He commanded and squirmed as Spock wrestled to keep his grip on the doctor's arm.

"Now doctor, there's no need to be hasty," Spock struggled to hold on as McCoy dragged them both awkwardly down the hallway, keeping his weight off of his broken leg.

"Jim, you've got a lot of explaining to do!" McCoy yelled as he stumbled into the living room, only to find the couch empty of a certain Starship captain. "Son of a b*tch." McCoy frowned furiously. He let Spock guide him to the couch and he sat down softly, then slapped Spock's hands away from him. He grumbled and pulled his damaged leg up on the couch. "How could you just let him go?!" McCoy shouted at Spock, who was gracefully and swiftly emptying the cabinets of ingredients.

"Jim was gone before I awoke." Spock said, with the Vulcan equivalent of a shrug.

"Bullsh*t." McCoy snarled. "Vulcan's don't even sleep."

"Unless, perhaps, they are under the influence of a lethal poison." Spock stared at McCoy, who simply rolled his eyes.

"Well, whatever. Where is he?" McCoy demanded as Spock cracked an egg on the hot pan.

"He left a note. It reads 'Went out to chase down some leads. Be back for dinner.'" Spock didn't turn his attention away from the searing egg. "He also left instructions on how to cook an omelet for you for breakfast."

"Typical." McCoy sighed. "Well, wherever he is, he better not be doing anything stupid."


	18. Chapter 18

Kirk's face slammed into the chain-link fence.

"That supposed to hurt?" He spat out blood and grinned. The stone-armored alien ripped Kirk's shoulder forcefully from its socket and Kirk let out a shriek of pain. The alien threw Kirk to the ground and he scrambled to his feet, holding his arm close to his chest.

"Alright, that hurt more than having to look at your stupid face." Kirk sneered through gritted teeth. The rock beast cracked its neck and Kirk shifted his feet into a fighting stance. "So, is it safe to say that this fight is off to a _rocky_ start? It's a double pun." Kirk smirked and the armored alien swung a fist at him. He skillfully dodged the incoming blow and took the opportunity to attack the tender spot under the alien's arm. He shoved his hand into the soft spot and twisted it, sending the creature howling to the ground.

"Captain Kirk wins!" Toolah-Fal's voice roared over the speakers and the Romulan swung open the gate and rushed to pick up the whimpering rock monster and sweep it off the ring. Kirk clutched his arm tightly and stumbled out of the door, refusing to let the pain show on his face. One of the other competitors shot him a foul glance and threw his wadded up undershirt in his face. Kirk peeled it off his face slowly and showed his thanks with a sneer.

"You won't last through the finals, Captain Kirk." The Klingon hissed at him as he passed by. "I'll make sure of it." The Klingon brushed by, intentionally jarring Kirk's dislocated shoulder. Kirk gritted his teeth and suppressed a cry of pain.

He slowly slipped the shirt on over his good arm, and then struggled to stretch the shirt over his shoulder comfortably. He pulled and stretched, but couldn't find a painless way to put it on. He sucked in a deep breath and moved his arm slightly to wriggle it through the arm hole and the sharp pain nearly overcame him.

 _Spock and Bones would have heart attacks if I came home shirtless,_ Kirk smiled to himself, trying not to dwell on the pain. _Sorry, no free shows today._

/

"Spock?" Kirk knocked on the door to the townhouse lightly. He leaned heavily on the railing with his good arm, carefully cradling the dislocated one by his chest.

The door swung open to reveal Spock's nearly flustered expression.

"Captain," Spock started, but was cut of by a stifled moan of pain from Kirk.

"Fix it?" Kirk asked, taking a half-step towards him. Spock nodded slightly and quickly got into position.

"One, two, three." Spock counted out plainly and snapped Kirk's arm back into place with swift accuracy. Kirk squeezed his eyes shut in pain and gripped the railing hard.

"Thanks," Kirk said gruffly, then motioned to the shopping bags by his feet. "I brought some more stuff home." He slowly pushed himself off the railing under Spock's scrutinizing glare.

"I would much prefer Doctor McCoy provide all medical treatment from now on," Spock scooped up the bags from the ground and quietly opened the front door.

"Yeah, yeah." Kirk grumbled and followed Spock through the door.

"Well, if it isn't Captain Dumba**." McCoy greeted Kirk with crossed arms and a frown that could curdle dairy.

"You feeling better today, Bones?" Kirk ignored the comment and attempted to stand up straighter and erase all pain from his face.

"Physically? Yes. Mentally? Well, I'm beginning to wonder more and more why I'm following such an idiot halfway across the universe." McCoy kept the scowl on his face. "Now, come here. Spock, get an ice pack for the dislocated shoulder of his." McCoy motioned to the couch as he lifted his leg carefully from stretching along the couch and rested it on the coffee table.

"Bones, I-"

"I know you better than you know yourself, kid." McCoy responded and patted the seat next to him. "And I know an injury when I see one. Now, sit your a** down before I get up and make you." He threatened and Kirk obediently sat down beside him. Spock quietly handed McCoy his tricorder and a cold ice pack. "So," McCoy pressed the back gently on Kirk's shoulder and he winced slightly. "How'd you do it? And you'd better not lie to me."

"I fell." Kirk said plainly as McCoy waved the tricorder over him.

"Yeah, _and I'm the Captain of the Enterprise_." McCoy scoffed and scanned the results.

"I'm fine, Bones." Kirk lied and shifted to stand up. McCoy clenched his hand around Kirk's uninjured shoulder to keep him grounded.

"You need to stop lying." McCoy didn't even look up from the tricorder. "You just need to rest your shoulder for a while. Spock did a perfect job resetting it." McCoy sighed and set down the tricorder on the coffee table. "Now, tell me the truth."

"It's complicated, okay? I'm just doing what I have to to get us out of here. Would you please just trust me?" Kirk pleaded.

"It's not you I don't trust," McCoy pushed a little harder on the ice pack and Kirk clenched his teeth. "It's those other idiots out there, Jim. But yeah, also you." McCoy shrugged. "All the signs on these scans point to fighting, Jim. You know that I can't let you keep going on with this."

"Trust me Bones, I'm doing what I have to." Kirk grumbled and McCoy sighed heavily.

"Well, you have to rest for now. Doctor's orders. We'll wake you when it's dinner." McCoy shifted slightly on the couch.

"That reminds me," Kirk looked over at the bags on the counter. "I picked something up for you at the store today." Kirk moved to stand up, but McCoy gripped his shoulder and Spock moved to dig through the bag. He pulled out a slender leg brace. "It's supposed to help you walk." Kirk explained as Spock handed it to McCoy.

McCoy handed the ice pack to Kirk and strapped the sleek black brace over his leg.

"So?" Kirk asked, adjusting the ice pack on his sore shoulder. McCoy carefully stood up and shifted the weight slowly onto his bad leg.

"Decent." McCoy grumbled and took a half step forward. "At least I can get around a little more now."

"Don't go too fast. You're leg's still broken." Kirk said and McCoy rolled his eyes.

"I _know_ that, I'm a _doctor_." McCoy scoffed and hobbled towards the bedroom. "Now sleep, before I pump you full of morphine like you did to me."


	19. Chapter 19

"How're you feeling, Jim?" McCoy touched Kirk's shoulder softly, but he jolted awake anyway, slamming his head on the back of the couch and painfully jarring his shoulder.

"Jeez, Bones." Kirk breathed, drawing his arm closer to his side. "I'm fine." Kirk lied through his teeth and stood up, offering the couch to McCoy.

"Another package was placed on the doorstep." Spock clasped his arms behind his back from the kitchen.

"Did it have your medicine?" Kirk asked, rubbing his head with his undamaged arm.

"Indeed." Spock replied and pushed a plate of food towards Kirk.

"And you took it?" Kirk groggily sat down on the bar stool and pulled his steaming plate of country style chicken and potatoes towards him.

"Affirmative." Spock brushed his hands off and slid a fork across the counter.

"How long was I out?" Kirk rubbed his eyes before reluctantly stabbing his fork into the mashed potatoes.

"Approximately eight-point-oh-two hours, Captain." Spock said plainly and Kirk dropped his fork in the mush abruptly.

"Eight point- what time is it?!" He stood up quickly, nearly knocking the stool down in the effort.

"Six thirty," McCoy responded comfortably from the couch.

"Sh*t!" Kirk cursed and scrambled to the door. "I'm going to be late!" He stumbled out of the door before either of his companions could protest.

"He didn't touch the mashed potatoes, did he?" McCoy sighed and Spock shook his head. "Of course."

/

"Just in the nick of time, Captain." Alyah smiled as Kirk pushed through the arena doors as the attendants moved to close them. "What's got you out so late?" She asked, trying to keep pace with him as he made his way towards the bleachers.

"Just some- family issues." Kirk said shortly and Alyah pursed her lips.

"Family issues?" She asked, sitting down beside him on the crowded bleachers.

"More or less." Kirk shrugged, then immediately regretted it.

"Well, I have something... interesting to tell you." Alyah scooted in closer to Kirk, who sat rigidly beside her. "I think I found a way for us to get out of here." She leaned in and whispered in his ear.

"How?" Kirk's head snapped sideways, his electric blue eyes buzzing with excitement.

"It's still just an idea." She said seductively, holding on loosely to Kirk's arm. "Meet me at the pub after the fights and I'll tell you more."

"Captain Kirk versus Hungrag!" Toolah-Fal's voice boomed over the speakers and Kirk let out a heavy sigh.

"That's my cue." He huffed and hoisted himself up off the bleachers.

"The Yolan Pub. Ten-o'clock. Don't be late." Alyah smiled at him and he gave her a quick salute.

"You have my word." He smirked and marched off to the arena.

/

"The air-filtration system?!" Kirk hissed, a little too loudly. The sound was masked by the pub's bustle, but still prompted Alyah to hold a finger to her lips.

"Well, we can't go through the trash chute." She said.

"It's incinerated before it leaves the compound, I looked into that." Kirk nodded and took a swig of his drink.

"And the water system." Alyah added, sliding her drink back and forth across the bar counter.

"Too fast and grated for anyone to make it through." Kirk replied.

"So that has to leave the air-filtration system." She concluded, taking a small sip of her fruit drink.

"The grates... do they come off?" Kirk asked, mentally running through a thousand different scenarios.

"With a little bit of coaxing, I'm sure." She pushed her drink back to the bartender, wordlessly asking for a refill.

"Something's not right about it." Kirk said quietly, swishing around the ice in his cup. "You don't think that it forms some kind of vacuum?" He asked.

"A vacuum that might push you right out into the giant's lair." She added.

"And then what?" He shrugged, holding the cold glass to the bruise forming on his forearm. "Break into the communications to contact my ship?"

"That's a start." Alyah shrugged and picked up her refilled drink.

"I'll have to check it out after the fights tomorrow." Kirk sighed and slid his drink towards the bartender, who began to refill it. Kirk put up a hand to stop him and stood up slowly. "I'll let you know what I think."

"See you tomorrow, then?" Alyah asked, but Kirk was already halfway out the door.

Kirk walked down the dark streets alone, hands shoved into the pockets of his pants. He looked all around him, lost in thought. _How did I end up here?_ He thought, staring at the billboards advertising the tournament and replaying footage from that day's match. He shook his head and continued forward. _Five more fights, and then the finals._ He said to himself. _And then I'm getting us out of here._

/

"Did you get lost on the way home?" McCoy asked through the darkness, making Kirk jump straight up in the air with surprise.

"Jeez, Bones." Kirk breathed, trying to lower his heart rate again. "You almost gave me a heart attack."

"Oh, so now you know what it feels like." McCoy flicked on the lights and Kirk squinted his eyes in temporary blindness.

"Sorry, Bones. I really am. Time just got away from me, and-" Kirk rubbed his eyes and stumbled towards the couch wearily.

"Don't you 'Bones' me!" McCoy snapped. "I shouldn't have to talk to you like you're a teenage kid that just discovered what alcohol is!" He ranted, standing over the couch as Kirk sat down. McCoy saw the fatigue falling over his friend and he suddenly realized how young he truly was.

"Oh please, I knew what alcohol was long before I was a rebellious teen." Kirk smiled and laid his head down on the arm of the couch.

"Jim, you need to start running that trap of yours." McCoy warned, narrowing his eyes at the captain.

"Whoa, I didn't think I would ever hear you say that." Kirk laughed and McCoy whacked him on the side of the head.

"After everything that we've been through together, you don't think that you should tell me?" McCoy yelled, his words dripping with pain. "You don't think that I should get the truth? You don't think that I _deserve_ the truth?!"

"I'm doing my best!" Kirk snapped back, startling McCoy. Kirk sat up straight and squared his shoulders defensively. "Okay, Leonard? I'm doing my best." Kirk quieted, his eyes filled with sorrow as the gravity of the situation once again settled in.

"Kid, that's all I could ever ask of you, and you know it." McCoy's words softened and he sat down slowly next to Kirk, as if trying to tame a wild tiger. "I'm only trying to help."

"You ever consider that I keep things from you to _protect_ you?" Kirk asked, relaxing his muscles again.

"You don't think that it breaks my heart when you come in here everyday, beat to hell, and I don't know why? Kid, you may be trying to protect me, but you sure as hell aren't keeping me away from pain." McCoy replied quietly and Kirk let his words sink in.

"Bones, I-"

"No, don't." McCoy sighed, cutting him off. "I know what you're trying to do. I just need you to let me in on this. Maybe we can figure something out together." Kirk remained silent, letting his eyes wander towards the floor.

"God, I hate mushy chick-flick moments." Kirk smiled weakly, though it didn't reach his eyes.

"I know you do." McCoy half-smiled and scooted closer to Kirk cautiously.

"It's a tournament." Kirk finally answered after what had seemed like an eternity of awkward silence between the two men. "I have to fight someone new everyday."

"Okay," McCoy could feel his anger boiling inside of him, but he mustered his strength to keep it at bay. _How do you always manage to get yourself into these situations?_ He silently asked himself.

"And when I reach the finals, it's single elimination death matches." Kirk sighed heavily and let his head rest against the back of the couch as he thought about enduring the fights through to the finals.

"And then what? We finally get off of this godforsaken planet?" McCoy asked eagerly.

"I wish." Kirk scoffed. "Nah. Instead, I get bragging rights and get to live here for the rest of eternity." He threw his hands up in defeat.

"So what's the point of competing, anyway?" McCoy asked.

"I have to win each day's match to get Spock the medicine that he needs." Kirk said dejectedly.

"Oh," McCoy replied near silently.

"But, as soon as this tournament's said and done, I might have enough pull to get us out of here."

"And you think that you can win?" McCoy asked.

"Wow, thanks for believing in me." Kirk scoffed.

"You know what I mean." McCoy grumbled.

"Yeah, I think my chances are decent," Kirk sighed heavily.

"It's kind of an absolutely awful plan." McCoy shrugged.

"Well, if you come up with anything better, let me know." Kirk grumbled and let himself sink further into the couch.

"Do me a favor, Jim." McCoy added after another long silence.

"What's that, Bones?"

"Come back in one piece."

/

 _To be continued..._

 _Hey everyone, this is my first extended fanficiton, so please go easy on me if you could. I've been working on this for a while, and I know there's probably some errors floating around somewhere... Anyway, new chapters to come soon! Thanks for reading!_

 _-buckminsterbarnes_


	20. Chapter 20

"The finals rankings are posted in the main lobby." Toolah-Fal's voice crackled over the sound system in the arena. "I must congratulate all of you on your achievements!" He bolstered and the mob of fighters rushed to the door. Kirk wiped his brow and stood up straight in the ring, offering a hand to his fallen opponent. The Andorian scoffed and rolled painfully to his side, standing up shakily on his own.

"I need no sympathy from Starfleet." The Andorian spit at Kirk who simply shurgged in response. He followed the Andorian out of the ring, grabbing his shirt from the hook as he made his way towards the door.

"Captain! You're first seed!" Alyah called happily from the rankings table. Kirk smiled slightly and walked slowly towards the orange-skinned alien. "You'll be fighting Hunfo tomorrow morning," She pointed at the tournament bracket and Kirk sighed heavily. "What?" She turned to him with wide questioning eyes. "You're not happy?"

"Well, I'll have to kill someone in the ring tomorrow, so no, not exactly." He grumbled and slipped his shirt back on silently.

"You should be honored," Alyah responded, following Kirk as he made his way briskly to the exit. "You've got a chance to win it all."

"And I should be satisfied with that?" Kirk asked, not letting up pace.

"Most people would be, yes." Alyah responded, following him into the street.

"How are we on the plan?" Kirk stopped suddenly and asked in a hushed tone.

"We're still set for three days time." Alyah responded quietly and Kirk placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Good," He sighed and patted her on the back. "That's the day of finals."

"Right." She nodded. "So we'll be gone before it comes to the final fight."

/

"You're back early." McCoy nodded in Kirk's direction as he came through the front door. "Didn't expect to see you so soon." McCoy slipped and oven mitt on his hand and opened the oven door.

"Yeah, well, it was a quick fight today." Kirk sighed and threw himself onto the couch.

"Who was your opponent this evening?" Spock asked from his seat on one of the bar stools.

"An Andorian. Not much of a fight." Kirk smiled and propped his feet up.

"Really? Because I seem to remember that fight with an Andorian back on the _Enterprise_ that left you in my MedBay..." McCoy smiled and pulled a fresh peach cobbler from the oven.

"Okay, he had a knife. That wasn't a fair fight." Kirk sat up in defense, rubbing the scar on his back.

"Right, of course." McCoy had to stifle a laugh. "My mistake." He plopped the cobbler on the counter and Kirk craned his neck at the glorious smell.

"Tell me that's not..." Kirk breathed the smell in deeply.

"My famous peach cobbler? Yeah, it is." McCoy smiled brushed his hands off. Even Spock seemed interested in the dessert. "It's to celebrate your moving on to finals."

"How did you know about that?" Kirk asked, basically sprinting towards the kitchen.

"Would you believe me if I said that Spock goes to the bar every day to watch the fights?" McCoy asked as he slapped Kirk's hand away from the steaming cobbler.

"Not for a second." Kirk laughed.

"I find the intoxicated to be most... disagreeable." Spock lifted his chin condescendingly and Kirk laughed harder than he had in a long time.

"I bet they find you to be the same way." Kirk couldn't stop himself from laughing.

McCoy raised a glass of whiskey. "To being disagreeable!" He slid a glass to Kirk, who followed suit.

"Disagreeable!" Kirk laughed and the two men clinked glasses as Spock had to stop himself from rolling his eyes.


	21. Chapter 21

_This is nothing that I haven't done before._ Kirk thought to himself, sweat beads already starting to drip down his face. _You can do this._

He took a deep breath and looked up at his opponent. Hunfo was a small, quavering humanoid with deep purple skin and pleading black eyes. The small being shook with nerves in the other corner of the ring, nervously holding their child-like hands into loosely curled fists. Kirk recognized the alien to be one of the Youlu race, but on second glance, he realized that it was just a child.

Kirk's blood ran cold. One of the giants had brought in a child to doing his fighting. The Youlu were a warrior race, but Kirk couldn't justify anyone letting a child fight in a tournament that only leads to death. The child was the last seed, so they obviously hadn't fared well in the competition.

"Fight!" Toolah-Fal's voice boomed over the speakers and the Youlu child gulped as Kirk fell into his fighting stance. Kirk sucked in a deep breath as he watched Hunfo's small hands ball into fists and uncurl themselves.

The small child took nervous steps towards Kirk, who remained unmoved.

 _If I want to live, I have to kill this kid._ Kirk realized, his blood running cold, and the nervous sweat dribbling down his face. _Bones and Spock. They need you to do this._ Kirk thought to himself, his gut churning. Bile rose in his throat as he watched the child dance in his stance in front of him.

"Wait!" Toolah-Fal's voice echoed menacingly through the arena. The small child dropped their stance and stood up straight, looking around nervously. Kirk did the same, letting out a sigh of relief. "Now, now. This isn't fair." Toolah-Fal chuckled. "This brings me to the next rule. The lower seed will receive a small advantage to even the fight." The chain door squealed open and a glimmering knife clattered to the floor of the cage near the child. Hunfo swiped it from the floor and brandished it in his strong hand, putting himself back into fighting stance. The door slammed shut once again.

"Fight!" Toolah-Fal called and the child lashed at Kirk with all of their strength. Kirk quickly dodged the slash and the kid stumbled towards the edge of the cage. Kirk didn't have the heart to turn around and end the match right there and then.

Hunfo struggled to retain his balance and turned around again to face Kirk. Kirk faced the child, his arms braced in a defensive position.

"Hunfo, you don't have to do this." Kirk said reluctantly as the kid slashed at him and he quickly dodged. "We can find another way!" Kirk's breathing was short as he watched the fury in the child's eyes.

"You killed my family." The child snapped at him in another language. "You and your _Starfleet_. You killed them all." The child leaped into the air and brought the knife down towards Kirk's chest. Kirk grabbed the child's hands and pushed the knife away from him at lightning speed, letting the child drive the knife into the floor as they toppled on top of Kirk.

"That wasn't me," Kirk said soothingly in the Hunfo's native language. "If it was, would I have taken time to learn your language?" The child looked at him with shock for a split second, then let his features return to fury. "Not all of Starfleet is bad," Kirk continued as the child attempted to pry the knife from the floorboards and struggled to keep on top of Kirk.

"I don't care." The child snapped back at him, finally pulling the knife from the floor and thrusting it again towards Kirk's chest. Kirk grabbed the child's hands and let the knife dangle inches from his chest.

"Listen to me," Kirk pleaded and the child's anger fizzled into confusion. "If you kill me, you have to win the rest of the contest. My friends, they need someone to take care of them and get them out of here. Please," Kirk choked on the words as the child tried to shake off the confusion and lowered the knife towards his chest. "Spock and McCoy. Save them, that's all I ask. Do what you have to do." Kirk swallowed hard and felt a tear form in his eyes. "Please." He pleaded and released his grip from the child's hands. He couldn't do it. He couldn't kill the child.

Kirk squeezed his eyes shut and waited for the strike to the heart. After everything that he had been through, he was ready to go. He'd done more in his years than he could've ever hoped for. He'd found McCoy and Spock. He'd found his crew. He'd found his home on the _Enterprise._ It broke his heart knowing that he had to leave it all behind, but he couldn't live with himself if he had killed this child.

After a couple of seconds, Kirk felt a droplet fall onto his forehead. His eyes snapped open to see tainted blue blood drip from Hunfo's small, delicate lips. The realization his Kirk like a bus. He shot up and caught Hunfo before the child went limp, holding the knife to his chest.

"I'm sorry," Hunfo cried softly as Kirk cradled him in his arms. "My family, they're gone. Your family is still here. You have to fight for them." Hunfo looked into Kirk's eyes and pleaded, clutching the glittering knife against his skin. "I'm sorry." Hunfo gasped and the life drained from his small eyes.

"No," Kirk said in disbelief, still holding the small child in his arms. "No!" He cried out and the arena burst into cheers. Kirk shook the child in his arms, a tear running down his cheek. His body shook as he held the limp body against his quivering chest.

"Captain Kirk wins!" Toolah-Fal's voice boomed and the cage door swung open, but Kirk didn't even seem to hear it. The blood was pulsing through his head, each heartbeat made it seem like his head was going to burst.

The door guardian Romulan grabbed Kirk by the shoulder and pulled Hunfo from his arms. Kirk struggled to hold on to the child, but the Romulan ripped him away and dragged him to the exit.

"Congratulations, Captain." The Romulan spit in Kirk's face as he threw him from the ring. "I hope that you're satisfied."

/

"Jim?" McCoy asked as he saw the door creak open. He threw the blanket off of himself and stood up awkwardly, bracing his weight on his good leg. "You there, Jim?" McCoy watched warily as the door moved only another inch.

McCoy stumbled forward, every muscle in his being on high alert. _If that idiot's hurt, I'll kill him myself._ McCoy grumbled to himself and pulled the door open. Kirk stood on the other side, the bags under his eyes as dark as the night sky. Kirk stumbled forward and fell into McCoy's arms, nearly knocking both men over.

"For the love of god, man." McCoy huffed as he struggled to keep them both upright. "What happened to you?" McCoy asked as he half-dragged Kirk to the couch.

"'s nothin' Bones." Kirk's voice was slurred nearly beyond the point of being English.

"Are you drunk?" McCoy asked in disbelief, the smell of alcohol drenching the younger man. He threw Kirk onto the couch.

"A lil." Kirk blinked heavily and nearly slumped off the couch. McCoy stared at Kirk, his heart heavy as he remembered the events from the match.

"Listen, Jim. If you want to talk about what happened today, I'm here for you." McCoy sat down slowly next to Kirk, pushing him back onto the couch.

"'s alright." Kirk mumbled and let his head rest on the arm of the couch. "Can you bring me the whiskey?" He asked groggily.

"No." McCoy said sternly and Kirk looked at him like a kicked puppy. "Now, don't give me that." McCoy rolled his eyes. This wasn't the first time that he had to handle Jim at rock bottom, and he was well prepared to deal with him. "You know it won't help."

"Then I won't feel it." Kirk muttered and McCoy sighed.

"You didn't do anything wrong," McCoy cooed. "It was those sick bastards that threw the kid in the ring to begin with."

"But now he's dead because of me!" Kirk shot up off the couch, nearly knocking McCoy on his butt. " _I'm_ the reason! Everywhere I go, someone dies! I'm a disease!" Kirk cried out, tears flowing freely from his bloodshot eyes.

"Jim, it's not your fault." McCoy gently moved Kirk to sit back down. "People get hurt. That's the way things are," McCoy's heart broke for the captain. He was waiting for the toll of the battle with the Klingons to roll back around, and this was the straw that broke his back.

"It can't be." Kirk sobbed and fell back into the couch. "It _shouldn't_ be." He was crying uncontrollably, his body wracking itself with spasms.

"Jim," McCoy pulled him into a tight embrace, trying to steady the poor man's body. "Breath, Jim." McCoy hugged him tightly until he heard the sobbing slow and felt Kirk regain control of his body. "That's more like it."

"I'm sorry, Bones." Kirk choked as he tried to speak.

"Don't apologize, kid. This isn't your fault." McCoy rubbed Kirk's back gingerly and Kirk buried his head into McCoy's shoulder.

"But it is," Kirk cried quietly into McCoy's shoulder.

"It's not. Just let it all out, Jim." McCoy cooed. He couldn't help but feel bad for Kirk. All of that responsibility was thrust on him with no say from him, and everything seemed to snowball for the poor guy. McCoy knew that there was nothing that he could say to make things better, but he also knew that Kirk would always find a way to bounce back. But, he had to break before he could repair.

"Why do people have to die, Bones?" Kirk asked, and McCoy's heart shattered. He looked at Kirk and only saw a broken and beaten child, thrown from his home, lost, scared, and confused.

"It's a part of life, Jim." McCoy hesitantly replied. "You couldn't have done anything to stop it. It was his time to go." McCoy continued softly, rubbing his palm soothingly against Kirk's back.

"Why isn't it ever my time? I'm tired too, Bones." Kirk said, almost inaudibly. McCoy's blood ran cold.

"I know you are, Jimmy. But you've got to stay here. You have to keep fighting. Remember me? And Spock? We need you, Jim." McCoy said, his own voice cracking as he held back tears.

"Okay." Kirk said, weariness finally slapping him in the face. His body suddenly slumped in McCoy's arms. "Only for you guys." Kirk yawned and his eyes fell shut. McCoy released him from his embrace and gently set his head to rest on the arm of the couch.

"I know, Jim." McCoy sighed and pulled the blanket over Kirk's body. "I know."

* * *

 _Sorry that this chapter took me so long to complete! It was pretty heavy to write... Anyway, like always, constructive criticism and feedback is always encouraged. There's so much more of this story yet to come!_

 _-buckminsterbarnes_


	22. Chapter 22

"You up, kid?" Kirk heard McCoy's voice through the mist of sleep. He felt a small pat on his shoulder and he groaned loudly. "Good, you _are_ still alive." McCoy said sarcastically and Kirk groggily attempted to move slightly. His head was pulsing and his body ached. _Hangover._ He remembered and threw the pillow over his head.

"Drink this." Kirk heard McCoy's muffled voice as a cool glass was shoved into his hand. He groaned as McCoy pulled him up by the shoulder into a seated position.

"Why?" Kirk moaned, refusing to open his eyes and let the light pour in.

"Because you're the big dumb baby that decided to get himself drunker than my Uncle Kelvin." McCoy drawled and Kirk tried to shove the glass back into his hand without looking. McCoy grabbed Kirk's hands and pulled down Kirk's jaw and poured the chunky green liquid down his throat. "The more you struggle, the worse it'll be." McCoy sighed as he held the glass to Kirk's lips and Kirk began to gag.

"Bones, what the-" Kirk pushed the glass away, but McCoy forced the last drops down his throat.

"It's a hangover remedy. My own recipe." McCoy set the glass down on the coffee table and put a supportive hand on Kirk's hand as he keeled over to throw up.

"Why?" Kirk asked weekly, barely holding back the bile rising in his throat.

"Captain, you may have forgotten in your current state, but you have a match today." Spock said from the kitchen, carefully preparing breakfast.

"Sh*t." Kirk grumbled, slowly opening his eyes and feeling once again that he was going to throw up.

"Take it slow." McCoy warned as Kirk began to stand up. McCoy held Kirk's arm as he stumbled towards the ground. "We've got breakfast ready for you." McCoy latched on to Kirk's arm, guiding him slowly to the kitchen. He sat him down at the island and Kirk braced his head up with his arms.

"God, I must've been hammered." Kirk mumbled as Spock slid a plate of eggs and toast towards him.

"Maybe even more." McCoy remarked as he sat next to Kirk.

"What time's my match today?" Kirk asked, not daring to pick his head up off his arms.

"Thirteen hundred hours, Captain." Spock set a glass of cold water next to the steaming plate. "Consequently, I recommend that you take this opportunity to rest up and take a cold shower."

"For once, I agree with the Vulcan." McCoy grumbled. "Now come on, eat your breakfast."

"Not hungry." Kirk muttered and McCoy rolled his eyes.

"Are you three years old?" He asked, pushing the plate into Kirk's arms. "Eat the damned eggs. They'll help your body process the alcohol."

Kirk grumbled and barely picked his head up off his arms and reluctantly snatched the fork from the plate. He quietly began to scoop up the eggs and stare at them hesitantly before slowly nibbling on them.

"Spock, put on some coffee." McCoy nodded at Spock who began to fill the pot with water.

"How're you feeling now?" McCoy asked Kirk, watching him carefully as he lifted the eggs routinely into his mouth.

"Better." Kirk said gruffly, feeling the bile in the back of his throat begin to rise again. Spock pushed a mug of black coffee across the table. "Black? Really?" Kirk asked disgustedly, staring into the swirling liquid.

"Don't be such an infant." McCoy growled and Kirk took a swig of the coffee. "Was that so bad?" McCoy asked.

"Yes." Kirk snapped back and rubbed his head. "Why'd you let me do that?" Kirk moaned as he picked up his fork again.

"We thought you were out with Alyah, working on the plans or something." McCoy accepted the small plate of eggs that Spock slid his way. "I sent Spock to look for you."

"You were in none of the typical pubs, captain." Spock said, politely taking a seat next to McCoy.

"That's because none of them would let me get smashed." Kirk grumbled, his head pulsing as he tried to recall the night.

"Where'd you go then?" McCoy asked, his mind already beginning to make up the worst scenario possible.

"Had to get the good stuff." Kirk slid his chair away from the island and McCoy stood up silently beside him.

"Tell me you didn't," McCoy sighed, already knowing what Kirk had done.

"The cage-master Romulan did have some ale to spare." Kirk chuckled before almost crumpling to the ground.

"Dammit, Jim. We agreed that you'd never drink that poison again." McCoy snarled as he helped Kirk regain his balance.

"Yeah, well, plans changed." Kirk braced himself against the wall. "Now, I think that I'm perfectly showerable to capable myself."

"You know, I would believe you, _if you remembered how to speak English_." McCoy snickered and Kirk had to take a second to process what he had said.

"Shut up." Kirk grumbled as McCoy led him to the bathroom.

"Don't be such a baby."

/

"Fight!" Toolah-Fal yelled and the crowd erupted into cheers. Kirk stood shakily on his feet as he faced his opponent for the day. A bird-like creature stood before him, ten foot wings stretched and talons clutched around a three foot sword.

"You will go no further in the competition, Captain Kirk." The creature sneered and Kirk tried to take a step forward, but he stumbled and felt his stomach churning. The creature lunged at Kirk, but Kirk felt the bile rise in his throat and he quickly turned and emptied the contents of his stomach onto the floor of the cage. The creature tried to stop in the confusion, but slipped instead and clattered to the floor, his own sword twisting beneath him. Kirk regained his composure and turned to look at his enemy, only to see the creature lying dead at his feet.

The arena sat in stunned silence. "Captain Kirk wins!" Toolah-Fal said hesitantly and the crowd cheered timidly. Kirk simply shrugged and stepped over his opponent and raced to the bathroom.

* * *

 _I thought that we could all use some comic relief after the last chapter, so here you go. Hope you enjoyed. More to come! As always, constructive criticism and feedback is always welcomed!_

 _-buckminsterbarnes_


	23. Chapter 23

"That's the spot?" Kirk asked, pulling the sunglasses down from his eyes.

"That's the one." Alyah sighed, turning her back to the air filtration system. "You know what's going to happen, right?"

"Yeah, right before the fight, we get in, then we get out. We've been over this a million times." Kirk scoffed, scanning the area to make sure that no one was listening.

"I just want to make sure that we're clear on _all_ of the details." Alyah insisted.

"Fine." Kirk rolled his eyes. "I check into our fight, then I get out and grab Bones and Spock. We head to the AO, then I slip out and disable the vents and send you, Bones, and Spock through. Then, you guys open it up from the other side to let me through."

"Then?" Alyah raised an eyebrow.

" _Then,_ " Kirk continued sarcastically. "We all go out to the radio room and signal the ship. Then, we wait in the vents until the Enterprise can beam us up and out. Simple." Kirk shrugged and Alyah offered a satisfied nod.

"And you remember, absolutely _everything_ has to go right, or this doesn't work." Alyah began to walk back to the bustling street and Kirk followed close behind.

"I remember." Kirk smiled. "And trust me, everything will." Kirk shrugged, but he couldn't shake the feeling in the back of his mind that he was very wrong.

/

"Fight!" Toolah-Fal exclaimed and Kirk rolled his eyes. He propped his head on his hand as he watched the Klingon officer dance around Alyah in the ring.

 _This is pointless._ He thought to himself. _Alyah can school him any day of the week. Why not just give her the spot in the championship already?_ He rolled his eyes at the thought and watched as the Klingon slashed at the orange-skinned beauty.

"Why even fight?" The Klingon sneered as he slashed again at Alyah. Alyah ducked and dodged every blow with grace, her warrior training obviously paying off. "You can't win!" The Klingon yelled, attempting to pull Alyah from her focus. "Your race couldn't win!" The Klingon snapped and Alyah seemed to stop dead in her tracks. "So you do remember?" The Klingon snickered, circling her in the ring. "Do you remember the slaughter? My army crossing over your borders and killing everything that we saw?" Alyah was distracted for a split second and the Klingon moved in for the kill. He threw out his arm to draw her focus, then spun around and jabbed the knife into her ribs. Her face went blank and the Klingon lowered her to the floor in his arms.

"No!" Kirk jumped up from his seat as the Klingon whispered in her ear.

"Now you are nothing, just as they are." The Klingon breathed and dropped her lifeless body to the floor.

"Talkee wins!" Toolah-Fal bellowed and the crowd cheered relentlessly as Kirk watched speechlessly as the Romulan lifted Alyah's broken body away from the ring.

/

"Fight!" The sound of Toolah-Fal's voice snapped Kirk into focus. He immediately bounced into ready position, his hands loosely curled into fists and his legs placed strategically apart beneath him. He watched carefully as his opponent began to move to the side.

 _Igliar._ Kirk remembered, scanning the large, cat-like creature's every move. _Don't let it touch you with that tongue. It'll screw with your head._. He recalled the previous matches where every creature that it touched with the bulbous tongue went insane.

The creature lurched to the right and Kirk matched the movement, trying to keep his distance. _I just have to wait for it to make a mistake._ The creature faked Kirk to the left, the continued to the right. Kirk anticipated the motion and copied it move for move.

"Not so smart now, are ya, kitty?" Kirk sneered and the creature lunged at him, baring its enormous claws in front of him. In the split second that it took the creature to rush him, Kirk watched in horror as the creature licked each claw with its poison tongue.

Kirk threw himself to the ground and slid under the incoming creature, narrowly avoiding its attack. Kirk swiveled on his boot and turned to face the creature again.

"That the best you've got?" Kirk scoffed and the creature pounced at him again, but this time, Kirk swiftly pulled himself up the chain links and jumped on the creature's back as it landed beneath his boots. He grabbed the creature by the tuft of its neck and pulled on it wildly, holding on tightly as the creature lashed around. It barely registered in Kirk's mind that the creature had wiped its tongue all over the chains of the cage, and he didn't have time to react as the creature swung him into the chains.

Kirk recoiled in disgust and horror as the felt the sticky solution coat his hands. Suddenly, the world around him morphed and changed, and he was back on the Enterprise.

"I told you that I needed that medicine from the pick up point, but you decided to skip the stop instead and head out to a bar? You think that's fair to everyone on board?" McCoy raced up to Kirk and picked him up by the collar.

"Bones? What in the world is going on?" Kirk stared at is seething friend with disbelief.

"I'll tell you what's going on. You're going to get the a** whooping of a lifetime. And to think that I ever called you my friend." McCoy threw Kirk to the ground and removed a knife from his belt.

"Bones, don't!" Kirk screamed as he felt strong hands lift him from behind and hold him up. "Spock?" Kirk craned his head to see the Vulcan holding him up.

"Do it, Doctor." Spock said coldly and McCoy plunged the knife into Kirk's shoulder. He cried out in agony, as McCoy ripped the knife from his flesh.

"You're nothing but scum, Jim, and you know it." McCoy thrust the knife into Kirk's other shoulder. Kirk screamed in pain, but stopped abruptly when he heard a small voice from behind McCoy.

"Keptin?" Chekov's thick Russian accent had never sounded so innocent.

"Chekov!" Call Scotty, tell him something's wrong!" Kirk pleaded as McCoy drove the knife through his gut.

"You are right, Keptin. Something is wery vrong." Chekov's eyes filled with rage as he landed a hard kick into Kirk's shin. Kirk could feel his knee buckled beneath him painfully.

"Please!" Kirk pleaded, but was cut off when Scotty approached him, taking a hard swing to Kirk's nose. Kirk felt his nose open up and blood rushed out of it freely.

"That's fer the Enterprise!" Scotty yelled and Sulu appeared from behind him and ran through Kirk's arm with his katana.

"And that's for all of those crew members that we lost." Sulu said sternly.

"Can't you see it, Jim? We don't want you here. So just hurry up and die." McCoy punched Kirk across the jaw, nearly knocking him out. Kirk fell back in stunned silence as the world around him began to reshape itself. He could see the creature now, pulling back a blooded claw.

Kirk snapped back into focus and kicked the creature hard in the jaw, stunning the beast. He quickly rolled out from underneath its clutches and painfully stood back up. He could feel the blood oozing from the stab wounds on his chest and arms, and he could barely keep himself steady.

 _They need you_. He thought. He sucked in a sharp breath and heaved himself up the chains once again, ignoring the searing pain in his arms and through his body. The creature bounded up behind him, taking to the chains more quickly than Kirk had been able to. The creature was gaining ground quickly, and Kirk realized that this would be his only time to strike. He threw himself off of the chains and directly onto the creature's neck, sending them both clattering to the floor. Kirk stumbled to get up, trying to push the pain from his body. The creature lay in front of him, near motionless. Kirk staggered forward towards the behemoth and plucked an enormous paw from the ground and jabbed it into the other paw. The creature remained stunned for a moment, but its eyes soon glazed over.

"Didn't like the taste of your own medicine, huh?" Kirk smirked painfully.

"Captain Kirk wins!" Kirk barely registered the words as he felt himself spiraling into unconsciousness.

* * *

 _Hey again! I think that there's probably only going to be three or so more chapters after this one, but you never know for sure. I'm considering writing a prequel to this as well... Anyway, hope you enjoyed and don't forget to add in your constructive criticism and feedback, like always!  
-buckminsterbarnes_


	24. Chapter 24

"Any word yet?" McCoy asked frantically, hobbling behind Spock, who was busy fidgeting with his communicator.

"Much as five minutes ago, no." Spock snapped back, trying to suppress his annoyance. He fumbled with the communicator as he splashed through the puddles of the back alley.

"He couldn't have gotten far," McCoy mused, mumbling under his breath. His cleverly trained eyes scanned the dark alleyways, looking for the all-too familiar form that he half didn't want to find. "Do you think he's already at home?"

"The odds of that are very low, doctor." Spock replied curtly, glancing up from his communicator.

"I know, but there's still a chance, right?" McCoy asked, his heart begging to pound against his ribs. "Oh god." His breath left him as his eyes caught on a small tuft of blond hair sticking out from behind the dingy corner. Spock's eyes darted to McCoy, who had already attempted to take off running. McCoy's leg twisted beneath him as he stumbled forward, only to be caught by Spock's firm grasp. Spock pulled him back to his feet and sprinted towards the ragged form of their beloved captain.

"Jim?" Spock breathed as he approached the bloodied mess. "Jim?" He breathed as he grabbed Kirk's broken shoulders and carefully slid a hand beneath his head to support his neck.

"Let me look at him!" McCoy huffed, hobbling to meet Spock. Spock carefully lifted Kirk's lolling head to face McCoy who was awkwardly attempting to kneel down beside him.

"Dammit, Jim." McCoy cursed and placed his fingers along Kirk's neck. "He's still got a pulse, but it's a lot threadier than I would like. Let's get him home _now._ " McCoy shifted the medkit on his side and braced himself against the wall to stand up. Spock carefully slung Kirk's dead-weight over his shoulders and onto his back.

McCoy hobbled through the town, Spock gaining ground behind him, despite the weight on his shoulders. After what seemed like an eternity of McCoy pushing the bustling crowd out of his way, the two finally made it back to their small townhouse.

"Put him here," McCoy said gruffly, pointing at the island. He shoved everything off of the top of the slick surface, a couple of glasses shattering when they hit the floor. Spock gingerly shifted Kirk off his shoulders and laid him down carefully on his back. McCoy tore open the medkit and threw a roll of bandages at Spock's head, giving the Vulcan barely enough time to catch them. "Put pressure on his stomach," McCoy commanded as he quickly booted up the tricorder. Spock obdiently unrolled the bandages and pressed them onto Kirk's bloodied stomach. Kirk barely shifted under his fingers.

"Jim?" Spock breathed, watching the captain's face carefully. It was bloodied and bruised. His nose had been clearly broken and all color had drained from his cheeks, aside from the dark purple splotches beginning to form around his eyes and scattered on his forehead and chin.

"He's lost a lot of blood, Spock." McCoy said, waving the tricorder over Kirk's lifeless body. "Don't expect him to be up and kickin' just yet." He huffed as the tricorder's alarms blared.

"That does not seem like a good sign, doctor." Spock said, craning his neck to try to see the readings.

"Nothing ever is with this idiot." McCoy grumbled and set the tricorder down and began rustling through his medkit. "We need to get him to a hospital."

"We cannot." Spock said sharply and McCoy stared back at him in disbelief. "They will kill the captain with no remorse."

McCoy remained silent as he looked down at Kirk's shallow breathing.

"Like I said, nothing's ever easy with this idiot." He grumbled and pulled a hypo from his medkit. He carefully injected its contents into Kirk's neck.

Kirk's legs suddenly surge with energy, nearly throwing the surprised Spock away.

"Stay down, dumba**." McCoy growled, placing a comforting hand on Kirk's forehead. Kirk's face twisted into a grimace as he struggled to move. "Dammit, Jim. Stay _still._ " McCoy fumbled with his free hand to find another hypo, which he pushed into Kirk's neck. "You got a free hand?" McCoy grunted, still trying to steady Kirk.

"Yes." Spock shifted slightly to push on the bandages with his right hand and held up his bloodied left hand.

"Good. Put pressure on his arm, too." McCoy wiped the sweat from Kirk's forehead and threw Spock another handful of bandages.

Spock watched carefully as McCoy lifted Kirk's legs slightly above the table and stared at the tricorder.

"You're going to pull through this, kid." McCoy whispered. "I know it."

/

Kirk felt a cold washcloth press against his forehead. _Bones?_ He thought, desperately trying to remember what happened. He moved slightly and was overwhelmed by a ferocious pain engulfing his body.

"Easy there," Kirk heard McCoy's gruff voice, and he let his eyes crack open one by one. "He's up." Kirk watched McCoy put the washcloth back into the small dish of water.

"Captain," Spock stepped over towards the couch, his hands neatly folded behind his back. To anyone besides Kirk and McCoy, it would seem like Spock was a true Vulcan, never failing to keep his emotions at bay. But, the slightly tousled hair, the fear in his eyes, and the small bead of sweat running down his forehead told Kirk and McCoy otherwise.

"Hey," Kirk managed, his voice scratchy and rough.

"Are you experiencing any pain?" McCoy immediately asked, pulling his tricorder from his belt.

"Nah," Kirk lied and let his eyelids droop shut.

"Yeah, I'm sure." McCoy scoffed. "And I didn't say that you could go back to sleep." McCoy splashed Kirk's face with some of the water from his washcloth bowl.

"What gives?" Kirk squeezed his eyes shut and attempted to roll his face into the couch cushions. As soon as he moved, he could feel the pain tearing through his body. He clenched his teeth and let out a slight groan as the fire spread through his chest.

"No pain." McCoy rolled his eyes. "Drink your juice." McCoy shoved a cold glass of apple juice into Kirk's hand and continued his scan.

"Does it have whiskey in it?" Kirk asked, inspecting the liquid.

"Nope, I drank that all myself." McCoy shook his head. Kirk looked at the glass disgustedly and McCoy pushed the glass to his face. "Drink the damned juice, you big blond baby." McCoy pressed the glass to his lips and Kirk reluctantly swallowed the juice.

"Spock, what time is it?" Kirk asked, weakly wiping his hand over his mouth when McCoy took the glass away.

"It is-"

"Don't tell him." McCoy interrupted sharply and Spock shut his mouth obediently.

"Come on, Bones." Kirk frowned, attempting to push the blanket off of his body.

"I don't want to hear it, Jim. You're not going to that fight today." McCoy folded his arms across his chest.

"Bones, I just have to check in. Then we're off." Kirk started to sit up, but McCoy pressed a firm hand on his shoulder, keeping him down.

"And collapse in the middle of the street in the process? I don't think so." McCoy scowled.

"Back me up here, Spock." Kirk looked at Spock expectantly.

Spock hesitated. "I am afraid that we have no choice, doctor. Jim must go check into the fight if we are to continue as planned."

"Continue as _planned_?!" McCoy yelled, throwing out his hands. "Did you plan for this?" McCoy gestured to Kirk who rolled his eyes. "How are we supposed to pull this off when Captain Idiot over here can't even stand up?"

"I'm fine, Bones." Kirk grumbled, pushing the pain deep down.

"Fine my a**!" McCoy stared at him intensely. "I can't let you do this, Jim."

"Then what do you suggest?" Kirk asked, trying to pull himself up from the couch under McCoy's stare.

"We leave now. Spock carries you, and we're all happy." McCoy pushed Kirk back onto the couch.

"Doctor, with all due respect, you know the risk of that plan." Spock added quietly, trying to diffuse the situation.

"It's better than risking Kirk getting stuck in that death ring and never making it out!" McCoy argued.

"I'll make it out Bones, I will." Kirk cooed, trying to calm McCoy. "I promise."

"Oh yeah? Well then, show me how well you can stand up." McCoy folded his arms across his chest again as Kirk began to pull himself off the couch. Spock silently took a few steps towards the captain.

Kirk cradled his damaged arm against his beaten chest and shakily pushed himself up with one arm. He swung his legs over the edge of the couch and let his feet touch the cold floor. McCoy and Spock watched him cautiously as he grunted and forced himself to his feet. He swayed heavily to the side and McCoy and Spock rushed to catch him, but he put his hand up to stop them. He closed his eyes tightly and took a deep breath, trying to fight back the waves of unconsciousness.

"Told you." Kirk opened his eyes again to see McCoy and Spock standing inches away, both of their eyes fixed on him and full of concern. Kirk moved to take another step forward and his legs buckled from underneath of him. McCoy and Spock snatched up his arms before he could crash to the ground.

"And back to the couch for you," McCoy mumbled as they set Kirk back down gently, his eyes shut tightly in pain. "Want to discuss Plan B again?"

"No." Kirk said sternly. "Bones, give me all the painkillers you've got. And if I don't make it to the filtration system in time, you two are going to take off. Without me."

"Jim," McCoy whispered softly.

"I won't let you two get killed for me." Kirk looked McCoy in the eyes, pleading for him to understand. "I can't."

"We will not leave without you, Captain." Spock stated plainly, trying to hold in his rage for Kirk even making that suggestion.

"Spock, you've gotta take care of the crew. And grumpy old man McCoy, here." Kirk managed a weak smile.

"I don't want to be left with this computerized hobgoblin, so you'd better make it back to us." McCoy frowned, finally accepting what had to be done. "You hear?"

"I will, Bones. I always do."


	25. Chapter 25

"Captain Kirk, back from the dead, I see." The Klingon hissed as Kirk stepped through the arena doors.

"What, you a little disappointed that you're going to lose?" Kirk sneered, leaning against the door frame for support and clutching his arm close to his chest.

"Now now, Captain. I wouldn't be so sure." The Klingon snickered. "I _do_ have the upper hand, after all."

"Yeah, but I have a brain and good personal hygiene, unlike you." Kirk's lips curled into a smirk.

The Klingon rolled his eyes. "We'll settle this in the ring." He sneered and rejoined his posse.

Kirk sucked in a deep breath and pushed himself off from the wall.

"Captain," The referee Romulan checked him off on his small clipboard. Kirk nodded in his direction, attempting to stand tall.

 _Step one, done._ Kirk thought to himself and sighed. _Step two, here I come._ He breathed deeply and started forward, fixating his attention on the bathroom doors across the arena. He shuffled forward slowly, his boots dragging slightly against the concrete floor. His kept his eyes facing forward to the bathroom, not allowing them to look around and distract him from his mission. _Keep it focused, Jim._ He thought, pushing himself forward on will alone.

"Leaving so soon, Captain?" The Klingon whispered in Kirk's ear from behind him and Kirk spun around quickly and painfully.

"It's called a bathroom trip, a**hole." Kirk muttered and turned his focus back to the bathroom doors.

"You don't look like you're in any shape to be fighting me today," The Klingon continued, following closely on Kirk's heels. "That will make it even _more_ fun." The Klingon smiled.

"I don't need to be in perfect shape to kick your a**," Kirk growled, continuing his shuffle forwards.

"Whatever keeps you going." The Klingon shrugged and headed back towards the ring.

 _Keep going, you're almost there._ Kirk groaned as he neared the doors, his energy sapped. He pushed open the doors with his shoulder and collapsed to the floor as it swung shut behind him. Pain seared through his entire body and he could feel himself fading fast.

 _Bones and Spock._ He remembered and began to pull himself across the floor with his undamaged arm. _They need you._ He dragged himself across the cold tile flooring until he reached the air vent at long last. He struggled to sit himself up against the wall, his chest pulsing with every micro movement. He sucked in a deep breath and ripped the vent from the wall.

 _They need me._ He repeated to himself as he forced himself down into the vent. He grabbed the vent and pushed it back into place, then let himself slide down the vertical slope of venting. He watched as the ground rushed up on him and he pushed his back against the side of the vent and thrust his boots into the other side, desperately attempting to slow down his dissent.

He screeched to a stop inches above the bottom of the vent. His body shook with the effort, every ounce of energy that he had feeling as though it had been ripped from his body. He let himself fall the rest of the way to the ground and his boots his the metal with a soft thud. He laid down on his back and began to scoot himself down the tunnel with his feet, carefully avoiding using his arm.

His head hit the end of the grate softly and he punched it out with his good arm. Grabbing on the end of the tunnel, he swung himself out of the vents and he flopped down into the dumpster. He groaned as he felt the trash conform to his aching body. _Just five minutes..._ He thought, but then shook himself from the trance and rolled over the side, hit boots hitting the concrete. _They need me._

/

"He should be here by now," McCoy grumbled, checking his watch again.

"He is still within the time range that we had set." Spock said calmly, watching the empty streets for Kirk.

"Remind me again why we couldn't have done this _before_ the last battle?" McCoy asked impatiently.

"The city guards would have been patrolling the streets," Spock started, still watching carefully. "However, because today is the final battle, the entire town will be watching the match, so they will have to move all patrols to the heavily populated parts of the city, in case of any riots."

"Still," McCoy grumbled, folding his arms across his chest. "We couldn't have even _tried_ to get around the patrols?"

"It would be far too obvious, since the process of opening the system will be quite loud." Spock said dryly, trying to check out of the conversation.

McCoy seemed satisfied with the answer and turned his attention back to the streets.

"Jim?" McCoy asked, watching a figure appear from an alleyway. He moved to stand up, but Spock put his hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"Please save your strength, doctor." Spock said before briskly walking towards the figure. As he got closer, he could clearly see that it was Kirk, struggling to stay upright. He took off towards Kirk, reaching him just before he keeled over. Spock caught him, carefully avoiding his chest and damaged arm. He wrapped Kirk's good arm around his own shoulder and placed his arm around Kirk's waist.

"Told you I'd make it," Kirk laughed weakly as Spock supported him.

"The odds seemed unlikely. In fact, they were twelve-"

"Yeah, you don't need to tell me that." Kirk interrupted with a smile. "Plus, you forgot to factor in my awesomeness into that equation."

"My mistake, Captain." Spock barely suppressed a smile as they made their way back to McCoy.

"Jim!" McCoy breathed a sigh of relief.

"We've gotta get going," Kirk looked around to make sure that they weren't followed.

"How about we take five minutes to let you sit and get some of your strength back," McCoy offered, standing up from the bench slowly.

"No, we have to move." Kirk wriggled out of Spock's grip and stood shakily on his own. "Let's go."

McCoy sighed heavily and Spock nodded in understanding. Spock raced to his lever near the entrance of the filtration system, which was more like a large, twisting box of metal. A large fan spinning faster than a tornado was sitting in the middle of it, blocking any entry. McCoy begrudgingly hobbled to the other side of the entry way. Kirk stumbled to his control panel on the main power breaker.

"On my signal!" Kirk yelled from the power breaker. He watched to make sure that Spock and McCoy were ready at their posts, each of them having two hands on the levers and ready to pull. "Now!" Kirk signaled and punched the emergency release button. Spock and McCoy yanked on the levers and a loud pop echoed through the streets. "Go, go, go!" Kirk commanded them and they jumped through the channel with the now stopped fan blade. Kirk heaved himself forward, struggling to maintain balance as he made his way to the entrance.

"Come on, Jim!" McCoy yelled, watching as Kirk entered the channel with the fan.

Suddenly, the fan whooshed to life and Kirk was thrown from the chamber and back onto of the city street. His breath left him as he hit the ground hard, his head cracking against the street.

"I didn't think that you'd get this far," Kirk heard someone say, but his head was throbbing so hard that he couldn't comprehend what was going on. "You've really surprised me." Kirk turned his head and saw Alyah standing above the control panel, her fingers grazing the emergency start button.

"Alyah?" Kirk asked, his head spinning even more than before. He struggled to roll onto his side and push himself back up to his feet.

"You seem surprised," Alyah smiled as she sashayed towards Kirk. "You must not be the genius they all made you out to be," She placed her fingers on his chin as he struggled to stay upright.

"I don't understand." Kirk asked in disbelief, swatting her hand away from him.

"Oh, Jimmy. It must've been that bang to the head." She sighed heavily. "You were my guinea pig." She smiled widely. "Every year, we have someone escape. They hired me to make sure that it never happens again. You see, I wanted to find the best and brightest to try the escape routes. That way, I can perfect the security system." She continued, walking around him as he tried desperately to fight the battle against unconsciousness. "And so, here you are."

"Why let me get this far?" Kirk asked through gritted teeth as his vision became spotted.

"Honestly? I didn't think that you could." She shrugged.

"I watched you die," Kirk growled.

"No, you watched my _stunt double_ die. I don't do my own stunts," She giggled. "Now, you have a match to get to." She snapped her fingers and a dozen city guards poured out of the alleyways. They snatched Kirk's arms, pushing into the deep cut in his bicep. He yelped in pain, but they continued to kick out his legs beneath him. "Don't take it personally, Jimmy. Good luck in your match." She smiled and the guards dragged Kirk down the street.

/

"Jim!" McCoy cried out as the fan blade started up again. The fan sucked McCoy and Spock to it, but they both had enough time to grab a handhold on the surrounding machinery. They pulled themselves out of the fan room and crawled through the glass door and slid them shut behind them.

"We've got to go back for him," McCoy yelled, watching the fan blades turn furiously.

"We cannot do that, doctor." Spock said, trying to suppress his panic.

"There has to be some sort of switch around here or something!" McCoy started looking around frantically for another control panel.

"Doctor." Spock said firmly, grabbing McCoy's shoulder. "The only option that we currently have is contacting the _Enterprise_ and having them lock on the captain and our locations."

"Yeah," McCoy said breathlessly, trying to calm himself. "Yeah." He repeated and took a deep breath.

"We need to find the communication hub." Spock said, looking around. "It should be located-" Spock was interrupted by the doors of the filtration system room busting down and five city guards flooding in.

"Well." McCoy grumbled, slowly raising his hands in the air as the guards pointed their guns at the duo. "Mark this down as a loss."


	26. Chapter 26

"Finally decided to show up, did we?" The Klingon hissed at Kirk from the other end of the ring. The city guards dumped Kirk on the ground on the inside of the cage and slammed the door shut behind him. Kirk squeezed his eyes shut in agony, the pain shooting through his chest and his brain throbbing out of his skull.

"This is the final match of the Great Tournament!" Toolah-Fal's voice boomed over the speakers. "Let's make some noise!" The crowd's cheering only made Kirk's head hurt with a new intensity. "Today's final match is between the Klingon warrior Talkee!" The giant paused to let the crowd cheer. "And Captain James T. Kirk of the infamous Starfleet!" The crowd began to chant his name as Kirk forced himself to stand up. His legs wobbled beneath him, threatening to give out at any moment. He cradled his arm against his chest as he narrowed his eyes at his opponent. The Klingon let his lips curl into a ruthless smile.

"Talkee! Choose your weapon!" Toolah-Fal yelled and a weapon's cart was wheeled into the Klingon's corner of the ring. Talkee selected a gleaming silver sword from the rack, which was whisked away quickly. "And let the fight begin!" Toolah-Fal's were nearly drowned out by the crowd's cheering.

Kirk swayed on his feet, his vision becoming blurry once again. He curled his free hand loosely into a fist and held it defensively by his face. The Klingon showboated the sword, swinging it back and forth.

"What's wrong, Captain? Your feet glue to the floor?" The Klingon jeered and Kirk took a half-step forward.

 _What would you do for your family?_ Khan's words echoed in Kirk's head, shaking him back into the harsh reality.

"Are you upset because you're going to die? Or is it because your little friends are going to be skinned alive?" The Klingon feigned sympathy as he continued to swing his sword.

 _Anything._ Kirk narrowed his eyes and his lips curved into a frown of determination. He lunged at the Klingon with all his might, watching as the sword swung millimeters away from his chest. He dodged the swing and kicked out the Klingon's legs, sending him crashing to the floor in a heap. The Klingon slashed at Kirk's legs, but Kirk let his adrenaline drive him and jumped over each swing.

"You wanna know something, Talkee?" Kirk yelled as he kicked dull edge of the sword with his thick-soled boot. The sword clattered to the floor of the arena, just out of the Klingon's reach. "Your people, they attacked _my_ ship. And I slaughtered each and every one of them." Kirk clenched his teeth. "And I'm going to do the same to you." He growled and snatched the sword from the floor, slashing it at the Klingon.

Talkee laughed at Kirk, easily dodging each of his attacks. "Oh Captain, my captain. It seems as though you've lost some of your sense." The Klingon laughed, watching as Kirk's adrenaline craze began to wear off and the fatigue began to set back in. "Can you even see me right now? How many fingers am I holding up?" Talkee held up three fingers mockingly and Kirk jabbed the sword at him again, missing him by a mile.

Kirk felt the blood begin to flow from the cut on his chest. His legs began to feel unstable again. He knew that he was losing ground, and quickly at that.

"I can go like this all day. You, however, cannot." The Klingon hissed. "Give it up."

/

The city guards marched Spock and McCoy down the long, winding corridor. Each step they took, Spock began to feel the effects of the poison in his veins rising up again. He could feel the bile beginning to form in his throat, the sweat beading on his forehead. McCoy limped by his side, watching the Vulcan with a close eye.

"Tell me that you have a plan." McCoy asked, analyzing each of the Vulcan's movements.

"Unfortunately, I do not." Spock said, trying to conceal his raspy breathing.

"Peachy." McCoy grumbled.

The guards marched them forward to a large holding cell. They swung open a large steel-barred door and threw McCoy and Spock inside unceremoniously. Spock hit the floor hard and couldn't muster the strength to stand up again.

"Spock?" McCoy asked, dragging himself over to Spock. He laid his hand gently on Spock's burning forehead and cursed under his breath. "Spock, can you hear me?"

"Yes...doctor..." Spock said weakly, keeping his eyes shut.

"Good. That's good, Spock. Alright, now I need you to stay awake and talking, okay?" McCoy said and Spock barely nodded in response. "So, Spock. Tell me about New Vulcan." He said as he pulled his tricorder from his belt.

"It is... quite suitable... for Vulcans..." Spock breathed as McCoy waved the tricorder around his body. "The temperature... is... very similar to... the old planet..." Spock struggled to let the words out of his mouth.

"Yeah, tell me more." McCoy tried to sound interested as the tricoder pulled up a rash on the scan. McCoy carefully rolled up the sleeve of Spock's shirt and saw the blistering mass.

"Th-there isn't... much more to tell..." Spock gulped as McCoy wrapped bandages around the sensitive skin of his forearm. "I... I am not doing... well... am I, doctor?" Spock breathed and McCoy answered his question with silence. "Tell me." Spock demanded.

"If we don't get you to the proper care," McCoy started, but hesitated to finish. "You'll be done for before nightfall."

/

"Give it up, Captain!" Talkee laughed as Kirk lost his balance and crumpled to the floor. He held up the sword defensively, trying to scoot away from the Klingon. "You can't win!" The Klingon stood over Kirk. He kicked the sword from Kirk's hand and scooped it up off the floor. "If it makes you feel any better, I will only make your death a little slow and painful." The Klingon held the sword against Kirk's throat. Kirk squeezed his eyes shut and waited for the blow.

"Goodbye, Captain."


	27. Chapter 27

"This isn't much of a fight," The Klingon mused, circling Kirk. Kirk struggled to keep his eyes open and keep his protective arm up. His vision became blurred and he wasn't sure of what way was up or down anymore. "This is an execution." The Klingon laughed and pulled back the sword to deliver the final blow. As he swung the sword, a phaser blast ripped through the air and silence the crowd. The blast hit the Klingon directly in the chest and he crumpled to the ground in a lifeless heap.

"Capin'!" Scotty's thick accent broke Kirk from his trance. Scotty threw the cage door open and dropped to his knees in front of Kirk. He took Kirk by the shoulder and gently shook him. "We need ta get you outta here," Scotty breathed, watching Kirk's head begin to loll. It broke his heart to see his captain in such a sorry state.

"Bones and Spock," Kirk moaned as Scotty pulled him up to his feet. "We've gotta go back for 'em." Kirk struggled to clear his vision as Scotty wrapped his arm around Kirk's waist to support him.

"We've got a team here, Capin'." Scotty huffed as he dragged the two out of the ring. Kirk's vision swam, but his eyes suddenly caught on the dozen security ensigns in the middle of a firefight with the city guard. "Two ta beam up," Scotty yelled into his communicator. "Have a medical team on standby."

"Ve're picking up some sort of interference!" Chekov's small Russian voice came back over the communicator. "Ve cannot get a clear signal!"

Scotty mumbled curses under his breath and pulled Kirk down the stairs. "Not to worry, Capin'. We'll have you outta here in no time flat."

"Bones and Spock," Kirk repeated, trying to stand on his own. "They're be no interference there." Kirk pressed, wriggling under Scotty's hold.

"Where are they?" Scotty asked as the kicked through the arena doors and pulled him into the street. Kirk's head spun as he tried to recall whether he even knew or not. "You don't know, do you?" Scotty sighed as he dragged Kirk down the street and into the city square where a riot was beginning to form.

"Well, not exactly." Kirk groaned as Scotty suddenly ducked them into an alleyway. "But I've got an idea." Kirk tried to pull himself away from Scotty, but Scotty didn't relinquish his grasp. "The air filtration system. We have to get there." Kirk nodded his head in the direction of the air filtration system and Scotty got them moving again.

"Capin', you tell me if you need a wee break," Scotty huffed as they continued down the alleyways.

"Ok." Kirk responded through gritted teeth as they trudged ahead. "There," Kirk nodded at the air filtration system. Scotty brought them up to the menacing spinning fan blade.

"So, how do we stop it?" Scotty asked, looking around for a control panel. Kirk swiftly reached into Scotty's belt and pulled out the phaser and fired a bolt at the fan. The fan clattered to the ground, leaving the passageway clear.

"Like that." Kirk smiled weakly and pushed them ahead.

"That'll do." Scotty shrugged and pulled Kirk through the tunnel. "How do we know where we'll find 'em?"

"I don't know, follow the sound of angry southern yelling, I guess." Kirk smiled through the pain.

Kirk's hair suddenly stood on end and he felt a chill run down his back. His senses were on high alert once again. He heard a small click behind him and he swiveled around, pulling himself away from Scotty and readying the phaser in his hands. A city guard stood behind him and immediately dropped his weapon and put up his hands when he saw Kirk's phaser.

"You." Kirk said coldly, still training the phaser on the guard. "You're going to take us to my crew." The guard nodded quickly and Scotty snatched his weapon from his feet and held it against his chest. The city guard turned around and motioned for them to follow. Kirk took two small steps forwards before stumbling and nearly crashing down to the floor. Scotty swiftly shouldered his weapon and caught Kirk's side.

"Come on now, Capin'. We're almost there." Scotty cooed as he moved into position to support Kirk again. Kirk held his phaser weakly by his chest, still pointing it at the city guard.

The guard led them down the winding hallways until the steel bars of the holding cell came into view. Kirk fired the phaser, taking out the two guards in front of the holding cell.

"Jim!" McCoy cried out, his hand still placed gingerly on Spock's sickly forehead. Scotty picked up the pace as he dragged Kirk down to the holding cell, the city guard breaking out to a run in front of them. "Jim, you're alright! And Scotty!" McCoy breathed in relief, a smile spreading across his face.

"Open the door," Kirk huffed and the guard obediently swung the door open. McCoy's smile quickly faded as he saw the weakness trembling through Kirk's pale body. "How's Spock?" Kirk asked, slowly moving himself and Scotty towards McCoy, his eyes fixated on Spock.

"We'll get him fixed up when we get back to the Enterprise," McCoy said hurriedly, deliberately avoiding Kirk's question.

"There's still interference here, Capin'." Scotty frowned as he looked down at his communicator.

"Let's get a move on, them." Kirk pried himself away from Scotty and braced himself on the cell's door. "Scotty, you and McCoy get Spock." Kirk commanded, trying to push the blurriness from his vision.

"Capin', what about-"

"That's an order, Mr. Scott." Kirk interrupted sharply and nodded at Spock. "I'll be fine." McCoy rolled his eyes.

"When we get back, we need to have a long talk about what the word fine _actually_ means." McCoy grumbled and grabbed one of Spock's arms. Scotty followed his steps and took Spock's other arm. The two men hoisted Spock's limp body from the ground and wrapped his arms around their shoulders. Kirk pushed himself off the cell's door and took small shuffle steps back the way that they can.

"And you, get in the cage." Kirk nodded to the guard, who immediately complied and locked himself behind the bars.

"Jim, don't stretch yourself too thin, alright? I want you awake when we get back to the Enterprise." McCoy grunted from under Spock's weight.

"Yeah, yeah. Quit nagging me." Kirk jested, trying to keep himself from toppling over. "Scotty?" Kirk asked in a nearly hushed tone.

"Yes, Capin'?" Scotty asked, ready to jump out from Spock's weight and catch his captain.

"How did you find us, anyway?" Kirk asked, his head pulsing with every small movement.

"Do ya promise not to be mad?" Scotty blushed.

"That doesn't ease my conscience, Scotty." Kirk laughed painfully. "Alright, I promise." He sighed.

"We, well, we had to take some... back channels to find ya." Scotty started. "This may or may not include bribing some of the salvagers in the area..."

"Jesus Christ, Scotty, you made deals with _pirates_?" Kirk asked in disbelief, trying to hold back laughter.

" _Salvagers,_ Capin'. They inform me that there's a difference." Scotty corrected.

"Like you should be talking, Jim." McCoy scoffed and Kirk rolled his eyes.

"Anyway, we found out abou' your ship bein' taken, and the rest was jus' a wee bit 'o back tracing." Scotty continued, shifting under Spock's weight.

"I don't know whether to be impressed, or angry that you all put yourselves in danger," Kirk sighed. "I'm going to stick with impressed for now."

"That's probably for the best, sir." Scotty laughed nervously and pulled out his communicator.

Kirk trudged ahead, but began to feel the same shiver down his spine. He suddenly stood up straight and scanned the room.

"Jim, what's gotten into you?" McCoy asked, coming to an abrupt stop behind him. The room suddenly flooded with city guards from every corridor.

"Drop your weapons!" The guards shouted and Kirk cursed under his breath before gently bending down to place the phaser on the ground. His body burned with the effort, and it took every last ounce of his strength to stand back up again.

"Four to beam up." Scotty mumbled into the communicator, which responded only with static.

"Listen, we don't want any trouble," McCoy said and he watched in horror as a city guard pulled the trigger on his gun.

/

Kirk's heart nearly stopped as he watched the gun trained on him, but was interrupted by the familiar fuzzy feeling of the transporter. He could feel all of his atoms come apart and softly lace themselves back in place in no time flat. He was greeted by the familiar scene of the transporter room, the young and bright Pavel Chekov standing over the control panel. He smiled to himself as he looked around his treasured ship, then felt his knees buckle underneath him.

"Jim!" McCoy yelled, helpless to catch Kirk from under Spock's weight.

"I've got him," Nurse Chapel said as she gracefully slid her arms under Kirk's.

"Chapel?" Kirk asked as his vision became dark.

"Yeah, it's me. Now come on, let's get you to medbay." She smiled as she handed Kirk over to some of the senior nurses who helped him onto a stretcher. "Doctor McCoy?" Chapel asked as she scanned Spock with her eyes.

"Poison." McCoy said curtly, moving Spock closer to the next stretcher. "I'll explain when we get to medbay." Chapel nodded with understanding and pushed the stretcher closer to McCoy and he gently laid the Vulcan on top of it. "We're going to need the scanners," McCoy limped alongside the stretcher. "I'll handle Spock if you take care of Kirk." McCoy said, though it hurt him to. He wanted nothing more than to hand Spock over to Chapel so that he could give his full attention to Kirk, but he knew that Spock's condition required his attention.

"Doctor, you're hurt." Chapel noticed right away as McCoy struggled to keep up with the stretcher.

"We'll take care of that later." McCoy said sternly, determined to save both of his friends. "These idiots need my help first."

/

 _What would you do to save your family?_

 _Anything._

Kirk woke with a start to hear the all too familiar sounds of the medbay. He slowly opened his tired eyes and saw the regular medbay ceiling and sighed in relief.

"You're awake," Kirk heard McCoy say beside him and he quickly turned his head to see his friend sitting in the biobed next to him, his leg propped up on some pillows. "About damn time, princess."

"You okay?" Kirk asked, his voice scratchy and his words slurring together.

"I'm fine. Chapel's just a real stickler for 'full healing'." McCoy said, air quoting her words.

"Where's Spock?" Kirk asked, looking around the medbay.

"Right over there." McCoy pointed to Kirk's other side and Kirk slowly turned his head to see the Vulcan sitting in a meditative trance on another biobed. "He's been doing that for a while. Says it helps him heal, or some crap like that."

"Captain." Spock snapped out of his trance and turned his attention to Kirk. "It is good to see you conscious."

"Yeah, I know. I'm a delight." Kirk chuckled and moved to sit up in the bed. He looked down and saw the heavy bandages wrapped around his chest and arms.

"Couldn't use the dermal regenerator on you just yet. You needed to have a little more energy first." McCoy explained.

"So you get to torture me some more later?" Kirk smirked.

"Damn straight. And after all you put us through, I deserve some of that." McCoy crossed his arms across his chest. He paused for a moment as he watched Kirk's gaze turn back to the ceiling. He knew his friend well enough to figure out that Kirk was replaying the events in his head, letting everything begin to weigh him down. "Speaking of which, I never got the chance to thank you." McCoy said softly.

" _Thank_ me? Thank me for what? I got you into this mess," Kirk sighed and shook his head.

"Yeah, but you were also the one that got us out," McCoy added quickly. "I think you've gotten your just desserts as is, Jim. So, just let me thank you, will ya?" McCoy offered a nervous smile and Kirk sighed.

"Captain, there is no way that you could have possibly foreseen the events that transpired," Spock added in. "So, there is no way, logically, that you can blame yourself."

"I could've done something different." Kirk said stiffly. "I _should've_ done something different. I almost got both of you _killed._ "

"Jim, there's not a damned thing that you could've done about all of this." McCoy added sharply. "So quit blaming yourself."

"If Starfleet didn't have enough reason to take the Enterprise away before, they sure as hell do now." Kirk said, dejectedly.

"And? We'll just _steal_ the ship. Become pirates. Apparently Scotty has some pirate contacts." McCoy laughed a little, trying to lighten the mood.

"That I do, Capin'." Scotty laughed from the doorway of the medbay. He carried in a basket of assorted whiskeys and placed it on the bed table beside Kirk.

"Scotty, what the hell are you thinking, bringing that to him here." McCoy scolded.

"I've spent a lot of money on this here, and I want Kirk to enjoy it." Scotty smiled and folded his arms across his chest.

"And besides, we're on our way to shore leave." Uhura chimed from the doorway. "I've already contacted Starfleet, and they've agreed to grant us two weeks on Earth."

"How in the world did you manage _that_?" Kirk asked in disbelief.

"Let's just say that we know how to be persuasive." Uhura stepped out of the doorway and Sulu and Chekov appeared behind her.

"We had to call in some favors," Sulu admitted nervously. "But I think that we all need it."

"And ze Keptin deserwers to be vith his crew, after all." Chekov giggled. "So ve made arrangements."

"And we aren't letting them take this ship without a fight." Uhura said proudly.

"After everything, you're all still standing behind me?" Kirk asked, his mind racing.

"Of course, you big blond baby. We're your family." McCoy smiled.

Kirk looked around the room and a smile crept across his face. He knew that he was home. He knew that he had found his family. And he knew that he would do anything for them, just like they would do anything for him.

THE END

 _Wow, that was kind of a sucky ending. Sorry about that. Anyway, I hope that you enjoyed this story. I'm considering writing a prelude about the Klingon battle, but we'll see about that. Thank you so much for sticking with the story, and I hope that you enjoyed it!_

 _-buckminsterbarnes_


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